


Of Fire and Mind

by Remmy-Free (Remembrance)



Series: Chrysalis [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Paranormal, Dark Magic, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, Mysticism, Near Future, Paranormal, Slow Build, Spirits, Supernatural Elements, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-10 14:19:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 86,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2028255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remembrance/pseuds/Remmy-Free
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p> Missing people, bodies in the city, spirit essence in the air—shit’s going down and Rin knows there’s a witch behind it. He’ll stop it, even if…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wires

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic that I have actually planned it out completely before I started writing. Like all fics, this one will probably veer off track every once in a while, but we'll see. Enjoy~!

 Aiichiro Nitori never liked killing children, but he understood it was kill or be killed. Though, the six year old girl was technically dead anyway. He stayed still, blue eyes focused on the swirling black oil that surrounded the corpse. He figured it out quickly—she was an artist, a prodigy—but none of that gave Nitori any information of her death, which made her a useless sacrifice.  
   
 The corpse hovered a foot above the ground, black oil spilling out of her mouth and eyes, moving in slow circles around her.  
   
 “Ai,” Momotarou called out. “I’m running low on arrows here!”  
   
 Nitori bit his lip and kept staring at the corpse. “Alright… Gotta think.” His chest squeezed and he looked around. He needed to find something, some way to gain the upper hand.  
   
 They were in the forest behind the shrine. It was a popular spot, especially when the leaves changed colours.  
   
 Nitori’s blue eyes dropped to the leaves and he got an idea. He placed his hands together, drawing on his inner will with the three-step process.  
   
 Intent.  
   
 Focus.  
   
 Will.  
   
 Nitori gathered stray spirit essences into his palm and a flash of purple lightning spun around him. He swiped his hand to the side, energy picking up the fallen leaves and holding them in a sphere where they swirled. The rush of movement created a blur of colours—red, orange, brown, and yellow—autumn’s colours.  
   
 The girl looked and couldn’t look away.  
   
 “Now!” Nitori prepared his next spell.  
   
 Momotarou pulled an arrow out of his quiver and guided it to his bow. Kneeling down, he drew back, shut one eye, and fired.  
   
 It sliced through the air and ripped through the corpse’s neck, blasting out the other side, shattering the spinal cord in the process.  
   
 Nitori’s left hand had to grab the wrist of his right one to stabilise the void he was creating. In a calculated circle, it spun, gaining speed and intensity. Nitori dashed to the side, lifted his arm and blasted the projectile forward. It arched through the air and slammed into her chest, cracking bones and breaking matter itself. The black hole ripped the seams of reality and—  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin’s eyes snapped open. He lifted himself from the bed and grabbed his chest, feeling his heart pound in his head. He stared at his pillow, forcing himself to breathe. He raised his head and looked around. Red hair glued to his face, he used his hands to sweep the strands out of his eyes, but they only fell back to where they were before.  
   
 Annoyed, Rin looked at his desk and grabbed his hair band. He tied all the loose strands in a ponytail and then rubbed his face.  
   
 “Oh, you’re up,” a cheery voice called out. “Good morning.”  
   
 Rin’s breathing returned to normal and he looked around the small apartment, but eventually glanced to his open laptop.  
   
 In a window on his screen, Makoto waved at him.  
   
 Rin snarled. “Are you fucking watching me sleep?”  
   
 “Well not on purpose.” Makoto was still in his bright green pyjamas with pink cats all over it. Nobody would believe he was twenty-four. “But we were on a video call and you fell asleep, so I got myself oatmeal.” He swirled the spoon in the bowl for emphasis. “See? Oatmeal!”  
   
 “Yeah I see your shitty oatmeal.” Rin closed his eyes for a second then looked out the window. It was a cloudy day, but apparently that was normal. “When did I fall asleep?”  
   
 “Pretty much as soon as you jumped on the bed… you didn’t sleep during the flight, did you?”  
   
 “Nah.” Rin got up and moved closer to the laptop to check the time. It was still early. “Never do.”  
   
 “You could have just used a portal, you know?”  
   
 “No I can’t.” Rin frowned. “I don’t have access to those without permission.”  
   
 Makoto gave his mother-hen frown.  
   
 Rin knew what was coming next.  
   
 “If you would just _talk_ to Haru…”  
   
 “Yeah whatever,” Rin cut him off. “Anyway, this isn’t a bad place. I mean it’s kinda small and shitty but, kinda cute.”  
   
 The apartment was one room, with the bed and bedside table in the far corner from the door. The kitchen was small, but it had all the necessities (oven, stove, microwave, blender, toaster, kettle, rice cooker, waffle iron). The fridge was stocked with food that wouldn’t perish easily and the pantry was filled with all kinds of spices and herbs, for both cooking purposes and rituals. All the furniture was smooth, dark walnut wood, and there was a nice open space in the centre.  
   
 Rin figured that’s where he’d be performing any act.  
   
 “Like the place?” Makoto asked. “I was kind of worried since The Eye doesn’t have many way houses in northern Japan, so if you didn’t like it you didn’t have a choice.”  
   
 “Unless I wanted to fork over some yen and stay at a hotel,” Rin countered. “But, hey, this place is stocked. I’ll live here just fine for a while. It’s not too bad, I guess.”  
   
 Makoto was about to say something, but a meow distracted him.  
   
 When Rin glanced to his screen, he saw eight kittens pawing at Makoto for attention. “God damnit, weren’t you going to find those fuckers homes?”  
   
 “Rin!” Makoto pouted. “And I want to but…” Makoto put down his empty bowl of oatmeal and grabbed one, nuzzling it’s face gently. “They’re perfect.”  
   
 Rin rolled his eyes. “Well I’m going to go out and see what the spirit tracks are like.”  
   
 “Wait.” Makoto put down the kitty and pulled a notebook. “There are some things you need to know about Nazuoka.”  
   
 “Hm.” Rin shrugged. “Isn’t it just some fucking village in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of paranormal waves?”  
   
 “Yeah, but a lot of this stuff doesn’t add up… The planet is divided into a grid system, roughly, by the hidden lay lines. Judging by this square, and the population of people, animals, and plants… There should be at least ten of us in the area to diffuse the spirit essence.” Makoto flipped the page of his notebook. “As far as I know, this zone has zero registered casters. Without a single witch in the area… how is it still functional?”  
   
 “Well, unregistered witches aren’t a problem,” Rin pointed out. “But that’s fucked. Zero in the area?”  
   
 Makoto nodded. “A lot of the information was sealed… I considered asking Haru, since he has all the access to this stuff—”  
   
 “–N-Nah, it’s cool.” Rin bit his lip and walked over to his laptop. He pulled out the chair and took a seat. “Okay, so have you managed to see the activity graphs?”  
   
 “Yes!” Makoto grinned. “It took me a while, but I found the archive files for them.” He flipped the page several times. “The zone had a relatively high activity until the year 2000. Between 2000 and 2005, there was a calm, and then it spiked back in 2006. One sec, I’ll send you the file.” Makoto put his notebook down and grabbed his mouse. His green eyes looked away from the camera and darted around the screen. “This calm then spike kind of graph repeated until 2022.” He smiled. “And you know what that means.”  
   
 Rin raised his left eyebrow, and his eyebrow piercing raised with it. “What the fuck does that mean?”  
   
 “Rin!”  
   
 “What? I know it’s the year before I was born, but what does that mean?”  
   
 “In the year 2022 the Act of International Congruity occurred.” Makoto frowned. “We studied this!”  
   
 “Fuck that shit.” Rin leaned back. “How do you even remember this stuff?”  
   
 “Well, Haru, Sousuke, and I are all born in 2021, and like you said, you were born in 2023, so I remembered it being the year between us.” Makoto sighed. “Anyway, that’s when they started the grid system to make sure an appropriate amount of witches were registered in every area of the world. Anyway, in 2022 the activity dropped to a near zero, we’re talking about something between six and seven on the Wagrest scale.”  
   
 Rin nodded, pretending to know what the fuck he was talking about.  
   
 “But within the last six months, the number has been increasing, slowly, steadily, but surely.”  
   
 “Right…” He nodded again. “And that means…?”  
   
 “Do I have to do all your homework?”  
   
 “Well you suck shit at incantations, so yeah. Evens out, right?”  
   
 Makoto paused, realising that was a fair argument. “Well, anyway! That could be a bunch of things, but with the disappearances and murders in the area, as well as the rising spirit residue…”  
   
 “So I was right: It has to be a magic problem, yeah?”  
   
 “Yes.”  
   
 “Well,” Rin thought about it before continuing, “It’s not just possible one of the unregistered witches left the area, right?”  
   
 Makoto shook his head. He was about to speak when a kitty bounced in his lap. “Aww.” Makoto picked him up and kissed his head. “Every kitty gets a turn.”  
   
 “Makoto, you cat fucker, focus!”  
   
 “Every kitty gets a turn,” Makoto repeated before flashing Rin a smile. “Even you.”  
   
 Rin slammed the laptop closed and grabbed his phone; he left the apartment without looking back.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 By the time Rin had gone down the elevator to the ground floor, he’d gotten a video call from Makoto on his phone. He plugged his earbuds in and opened his flip phone. “You done cumming on that cat?”  
   
 Makoto pouted. “Be nice or I won’t help.”  
   
 “Alright, alright.” Rin didn’t bother pointing the camera to his face as he stepped out into the village.  
   
 Although it was a ‘village’, Nazuoka consisted mainly of skyscrapers and glass buildings that blocked the sun, sending the inner city into shadows. Farmland and agricultural fields surrounding the city, covered in light. Three years shy of 2050, the Earth’s population was just under 10 billion, and the idea of small towns were lost in the past.  
   
 Rin moved to a bus stop and waited for the tram. “Okay, so why can’t it just be an unregistered,” he paused mid-sentence, glancing around to see if anyone was around, “Witch just leaving this place?”  
   
 “If a witch left, then the graph would have a spike of activity. A gradual rise indicates a growing problem.”  
   
 “Right.” Rin watched the bus approach the stop and it paused in front of him. The door slid open and Rin stepped in; he glanced around the white room and took a seat not too close to anyone. He brought his phone to his face so Makoto could see him and he pursed his lips. “So any tips on where to start?”  
   
 “The usual, sadly.” Makoto had three kittens in his arms, giving each of them two kisses each. “Alleyways, dead-ends, anywhere you can commune really. The city is known for having an expansive forest around it… It’s possible the spirits might go there, but I’d search the city first.”  
   
 “Right…” Rin glanced out the window to the skyscrapers. “There’s been… four murders in six months, right? But thirty disappearances…”  
   
 “As far as we know…” Makoto adjusted himself as two more cats wanted to be in his arms. “The only way we knew about this was through The Eye. The city is keeping quiet, so maybe there have been more.”  
   
 “Hm.” Rin bit his lip. “It’s possible every one of those disappearances are murders, too. Fucking unreal. Sick how they’re keeping this hidden…”  
   
 “Are you really that surprised? It’s happening everywhere. Norway had that old people incident ten years ago, and a year before that there were fifty women missing from Canada. Just last year twenty teenage boys in New Zealand—”  
   
 “Yeah, I know.” Rin nodded. “The only way we know any of this is through The Eye.”  
   
 “Well, that’s why the witches are named after the all-seeing eye.” Makoto looked away. “They say the public can’t know, because they’ll freak out and go into panic… but if they don’t know they can’t protect themselves…”  
   
 Rin snarled. “But if this is a supernatural issue, then witches are the only ones who can stop it.”  
   
 “It’s a big burden to bear,” Makoto muttered. “Don’t think you’re doing this alone. I may be across the country, but I’ll keep digging for new info. The whole thing just feels so shady… I'm not letting you do all of this alone.”  
   
 “Makoto.”  
   
 “Give me the word and I'll be there.”  
   
 “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Rin glanced to him through his phone and pursed his lips. “Just stay where you are, Haru needs you more than I do.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 People avoided him, and he liked it that way.  
   
 Rin had maroon hair from the Australian side of his family. He had tugged off the hair band, letting his ponytail fall and frame his face. He wore a dark red shirt with an unzipped black hoodie over it, hood pulled over his head. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his black jeans; they were loose on him, but he used a dark red belt to sling it tight around his hips. He also wore fingerless leather gloves, black, and several accessories.  
   
 Three silver amulets around his neck, each one looking worn and gathering rust.  
   
 His eyebrow had a horizontal piercing above the hairline and his tongue was pierced with metal stud.  
   
 Rin clacked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.  
   
 He also had two tattoos, black, abstract and tribal in style, on his left bicep and on his back, but they were covered by his clothes.  
   
 The clouds crackled above.  
   
 Rin stared and frowned. “Might rain… Not good.” He ran the tip of his tongue over his front teeth and clacked his tongue again. “Fuck.” He looked over his shoulder, making sure no one was around before he held his hand out. A speckle of light formed between his fingers.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
   
 The light twinkled, but nothing happened.  
   
 Rin frowned.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
   
 The light began to grow.  
   
 Rin smiled, but kept his focus.  
   
 There were three steps to the witching process: Intent, Focus, and Will.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
   
 The light shot forward.  
   
 Rin blinked, almost breaking the spell out of surprise, but he concentrated on the light and ran after it. It swirled left and swished right, going down the alley, then shooting back towards Rin. Rin realised it was coming right at him and his eyes widened.  
   
 The light swished away and and then burst into ten different rays, each one shooting off to a different direction.  
   
 “The… fuck?” Rin snarled. “Did I fuck up the spell? No way, that’s basics… But, I am kinda shit at…”  
   
 He remembered how Makoto would remind him to review the primary volumes. Sousuke would always warn him that he was putting others in danger if they couldn’t lean on him. Haruka on the other hand would always scoff at him for how easy his barriers broke.  
   
 Haru…  
   
 Rin shook his head. He held out his hand again.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
   
 Rin Matsuoka was able to raze an entire city in fire, but he knew he was shit at anything that wasn’t burning something.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
   
 A light sparkled in his hand.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
   
 Rin paused. “Doesn’t… feel right…”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “Maybe your magic hasn’t adjusted yet?” Makoto tilted his head. “I mean I know when we head over to Europe or the Americas, we need to wait a couple days. It’s like air pressure in our ears.”  
   
 “No, man.” Rin unzipped his suitcase, not bothering to look at Makoto’s face on his laptop’s screen. “Something’s way off here.”  
   
 “Well it’s possible, but if there was something off then maybe your magic adjusting is like, messing you up on top of that?”  
   
 “No way. I’m still in Japan. I can go back and forth from Australia and here just fine, even China and Korea. It’s not a big enough distance.” Rin paused. “But maybe you’re right… the spirits here feel different, different than home or Aussie land… or even the rest of the world. I just have this chill crawl up my spine.”  
   
 “Well…” Makoto bit his lip. “You might be psyching yourself out.”  
   
 “Right…” Rin pulled out his box of reagents and stood up. He walked to the table and unhinged the locks. He opened it up. “What the fuck?”  
   
 Makoto giggled.  
   
 Rin stared at his laptop. “You fucking…”  
   
 “Well, I know you wanted to go alone, so I thought I should at least get you anything you need for rituals or spells.”  
   
 Rin grabbed a leaf and felt it with his thumb. “This isn’t processed shit… this is all fresh?”  
   
 “Haruka helped,” Makoto admitted. “I didn’t tell him anything, like I promised, but I told him you were going and I said we should get you some reagents, so we used portals to cultivate them.”  
   
 “You little fucking…” Rin frowned. “You’re an asshole.”  
   
 “You’re welcome, Rin. I’m glad you like the gift.”  
   
 “I like it, but don’t involve Haru.” Rin shook his head. “Ever since he joined the High Council he doesn’t so much as wipe his ass without an ulterior motive.”  
   
 Makoto frowned, but didn’t say anything.  
   
 Rin was thankful for that. He was stubborn and not willing to back down, and he knew getting into a fight with his only friend would help no one. So he busied himself, grabbing several candles of different colours.  
   
 “Don’t you want to do a cleansing ritual first?”  
   
 “Nah this place is clean.”  
   
 “Are you sure?”  
   
 “Yeah, wood sucks in the smoke from burning herbs, so this place still reeks of sage.” Rin moved to the centre of the room where there was a clearing and whipped his hand to the side; white crystals appeared and shattered into dust. Spirit essence. It swirled around him before forming a circle on the ground beneath him. He snapped his fingers.  
   
 Five openings appeared in the circle; one at northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest, and the fifth one was at north. He put an orange candle at northeast, a violet one at northwest, brown at southeast, and black at southwest. A pure white candle was placed in north.  
   
 “Whoa…” Makoto leaned forward. “Isn’t that too much?”  
   
 “Not really.” Rin sat down and crossed his legs, glancing to each of the wicks to make sure they weren’t bent. “This apartment’s under two ley lines, right?”  
   
 “Well, yeah… I guess so. But five candles? And four of colour? I thought a tracking spell only needs one or two…”  
   
 “Nah, there’s some shit going on here.” Rin frowned. “I gotta find it. Orange gives life energy and lets the spell be dynamic, violet gives it deep spiritual and magical energy, brown is linked to justice, and black will give me control over negative forces. With this many murders going on, this is the only way I can balance it out.”  
   
 “Then the white candle…” Makoto sighed. “White is pure energy, an amplifier, with all that life energy and spiritual energy and magical energy, and even negative, why do you need an amplifier?”  
   
 “Makoto, stick to what you’re good at, okay?” Rin frowned. “You’re good at your shit, I’m good at incantations. Just leave it to me, ‘kay?”  
   
 Makoto sighed. “Okay… just don’t let it backfire.”  
   
 Rin sighed and ran a hand through his loose hair. He closed his eyes and relaxed, measuring his breathing. He pictured dead bodies and missing people, Intent. He brought the image to the forefront of his mind and stared at it with his mind’s eye, adding details, Focus. He stayed still for several minutes before he slapped his hands together, beginning the ritual with his Will.  
   
 One at a time, the five wicks lit and the spirit essence surrounding him glistened like glitter from their light.  
   
 Rin breathed slowly, keeping the rhythm of his body on the positive. He focused on the image.  
   
 ‘ _A clearer spirit, a clearer mind; speak to me and give me sight._ ’  
   
 Rin frowned.  
   
 ‘ _Speak to me and give me sight._ ’  
   
 He stayed still, until all the wicks were extinguished by a gust of wind. Rin opened his eyes to see the spirit essence was gone, but there were black strings rising from the five candles. The strings came together in front of him and swirled.  
   
 The metal wires coiled together, making sound of their tension before they formed a face.  
   
 Rin could tell it was a girl’s face, but he couldn’t be sure of the age. She could have been an infant or an old lady, he wouldn’t know. He only stared at her and dipped his head in respect.  
   
 ‘ _Speak to me and give me sight._ ’  
   
 She shook her head.  
   
 Rin bit his lip, but didn’t break his focus.  
   
 ‘ _Will you help me?_ ’  
   
 She nodded.  
   
 ‘ _Will you give me sight of where I must go?_ ’  
   
 She shook her head.  
   
 ‘ _Can you give me sight of where I must go?_ ’  
   
 She shook her head.  
   
 Rin nodded, understanding.  
   
 ‘ _Will you guide me?_ ’  
   
 She nodded.  
   
 Rin stood up, staring at her.  
   
 The face of wires, without a body, snapped the cords leading to the wicks of the candles and raised itself to Rin’s shoulder level. She, the face, turned towards the door and floated towards it. She slipped through it with ease.  
   
 Rin opened the door, shut it behind him, fumbled with his keys to lock it, and ran after her.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin had followed the face without question. People were staring, but he knew they were staring at him not the face. They couldn’t see the face, but they could see some thug-looking twenty-two year old focusing on the air in front of him. But he ignored them. The face, luckily, knew how the public transit worked and they took a bullet train to several kilometers away. He hated when he got spirits that insisted on walking.  
   
 The face floated to the edge of town.  
   
 The electrical fauna and the city lights were long behind him and Rin realised they were entering the forest. He tapped his pockets, making sure he had his vial of spores if worst came to worst, but they stayed on the road. After ten minutes of walking, she stopped.  
   
 The face of wires stared ahead.  
   
 Rin glanced forward.  
   
 Standing at the end of a road was a large Shinto shrine, red in colour with a several torii, gate arches, creating the illusion of a tunnel.  
   
 ‘ _Here?_ ’  
   
 She nodded.  
   
 ‘ _Should I go in?_ ’  
   
 She shook her head.  
   
 ‘ _Why?_ ’  
   
 She stared at him, but the metal cords began to evaporate.  
   
 Rin frowned. “Hey! Wait!”  
   
 The face of wires burst into steam and disappeared.  
   
 “Fucking useless spirit.” Rin pouted. “Was probably some old hag…” He stared at the shrine and noticed a boy sweeping the steps quite a distance away.  
   
 He had grey hair in a bowl cut and wore red trousers and white kimono jacket.  
   
 “It's the forties and shrine douches still dress like that?” Rin scoffed. “What an idiot.”  
   
 The boy looked up and stared at him.  
   
 Rin felt his heart shake, wondering if the boy had heard him, but he realised it was impossible with the distance. Not knowing what else to do, he gave a wave.  
   
 The boy paused for a while before waving back, a big smile forming on his face.  
   
 Rin turned around quickly, knowing he’d have to come back for his investigation anyway. ‘ _Okay he’s kinda cute…_ ’  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “Aiichiro.”  
   
 Nitori swept another step and looked up. “Huh?”  
   
 Rei, dressed formally in a business suit as always, adjusted his red glasses. “Did you know that man?”  
   
 “No, I just saw him.” Nitori shrugged. “Maybe he was taking a walk.”  
   
 “Maybe,” Rei agreed. “Or maybe he wasn’t. Be vigilant.”  
   
 “Y-Yes…” Nitori nodded. “Always am.”


	2. Ley-Lines

 “Sorry, give me a sec,” Makoto muttered as he put four kittens down on the sofa next to him. “Haru’s home.”  
   
 “Yeah okay whatever.” Rin rolled his eyes. “Go suck his dick.”  
   
 Makoto gave him a look before his camera turned off.  
   
 Rin closed his phone and shoved it in his pocket. After a short elevator ride, he unlocked the door and stepped into his apartment. It was exactly as he left it—ritual candles still standing in the uneven pentagram. “Ah fuck,” he grumbled. That was one thing he always hated about incantations; if they ever used reagents, he had to clean them up. It seemed like common sense, but Rin had always managed to get one of the other four to clean. Mostly because he pulled off the incantations himself, sometimes with the help of Haruka or…  
   
 Rin’s fingers curled into a fist.  
   
 His laptop beeped.  
   
 Rin glanced to it, still on, and walked over. He clicked the button that turned on his webcam and he saw Makoto with six cats in his lap and one in his arms. He was nuzzling the top of its head and gave it a little smooch. Rin rolled his eyes. “Don’t you get like cat hair everywhere with those?”  
   
 “Not really? I take good care of them.”  
   
 “Hm, kay…” Rin clacked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “So, how was Haru?”  
   
 “Good, kind of. Tired.” Makoto pouted. “The High Council is working him to death, but that’s just how it is at this time of year, especially since he got promoted twice in the same month… a lot of them kind of want to knock him down. Politics.”  
   
 “Eh.” Rin shrugged and stretched. “It’s his fault, really. He’s the one that wanted to get into it.”  
   
 “Well… you know his reason.”  
   
 “Like shit I believe that’s a real reason, Makoto.”  
   
 “Well…”  
   
 “Come on.” Rin leaned on the desk and ducked his head so he was looking right at the camera on his laptop. “Do you honestly believe that Nagisa said that?”  
   
 Makoto’s eyes widened and his shoulders tensed. He looked away, giving a meek little shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t see a reason Haru would lie to us… not about, not about that.”  
   
 “But it can’t be true, either, and you know that, Makoto.” Rin tugged at a band around his wrist and then gathered his hair in a loose ponytail. He quickly put it in place then let go. “Why the fuck would Nagisa, of all people, want anything to do with politics? And even if he did, why would he talk to Haruka about it? It doesn’t add up—nothing fucking does with Haru anymore. I don’t know how you stand him, fuck.”  
   
 Makoto picked up a different cat and kissed its nose. It meowed and it made him smile. “Haru is… sure he’s different, compared to when I fell in love with him, but he’s still Haru… I guess.”  
   
 Rin’s jaw twitched and he bit his lip.  
   
 “I mean I still love him, mostly, I just…” He looked around to make sure Haruka wasn’t in the room. “Yeah, I wish I had more of the old Haru back, but I still love him. I do. Really…”  
   
 “Yeah…” Rin turned away and picked up the five candles on the floor. He inspected them, noticing they were still good for another use. He opened up his reagent box and put them in. He glanced over to Makoto, who seemed to be petting cats again. “A-Anyway, about the investigation.”  
   
 “Huh?”  
   
 “Investigation.”  
   
 “Right! Nazuoka.” Makoto had to gently pick up and put aside one kitten at a time to make room for his digital notebook. He grabbed his pen and turned it on, flipping the page several times before he found the one he wanted to find. “You mentioned you went to a shrine, right?”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “That’s where the old bitch took me, but she didn’t want me to go in.”  
   
 “Why not?”  
   
 “She didn’t say, fucker couldn’t speak.”  
   
 “Ah, yeah, that’s the problem with some dead people, huh?”  
   
 “Mhm. If I powered up the ritual with maybe three or four more white candles then I’m pretty sure I would have been able to give her a voice-box but damn if I could pull that off on my own… I wanted to know more about the shrine.”  
   
 “Actually…” Makoto swiped his screen and busied himself. “I might have sort of _borrowed_ Haruka’s access code when I was looking at the ley lines of Nazuoka, and at the exact coordinates you were I found a nexus.”  
   
 “A what?”  
   
 “Oh my God, Rin…”  
   
 “You know I probably know what a nexus is, I just don’t know the word for it.”  
   
 “Probably,” Makoto agreed. “Whenever four ley lines intersect, there is a nexus. At any time four ley lines connect, there is usually a hidden ley line running through them, and since ley lines are the strings of spirit essence that keeps Earth alive, there’s a huge wealth of mana up for grabs there. It’s not unusual to find shrines or temples or witches living at nexuses, and if the spirit you found took you there, then it can’t be a coincidence.”  
   
 “Okay, so maybe I didn’t know that…” Rin took a seat in front of the computer and rested his chin on his hand. “So pretty much this place is kinda important, I’m guessing?”  
   
 “Mhm!” Makoto swiped the page. “But get this! The temple is called the Nyorai Mori!”  
   
 “Okay.”  
   
 Makoto looked up and a part of his soul died. “I’m just going to assume you know nothing from now on.”  
   
 Rin winced. “Ouch.”  
   
 “Nyorai is referring to Yakushi Nyoria, which is a Buddhist god… kind of. He’s not a god, he’s a Buddha. But anyway the thing is, it’s a mori—a Shinto shrine… Why is there a Shinto shrine for a Buddhist idol? I mean, it’s not _completely_ unheard of, but…” He flipped the pages. “It’s just, it’s weird. Like before, things are just not adding up and I don’t like the feeling of this.”  
   
 “Hmm.” Rin frowned. “So nobody’s seemed to pick up on this?”  
   
 “Well… religion is on the decline globally, really… Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are almost all ceremonial now, and for festivals, like New Year’s Eve… I’m guessing it’s mostly an ignored shrine. A perfect spot to hide something, even.”  
   
 Rin’s face soured. “Okay, okay, but how do they keep in business and keep it running?”  
   
 “Uuuhh.” Makoto put his tablet aside and pulled his laptop closer.  
   
 “Oy.” Rin nudged his chin forward. “Your cats are on your book-thing.”  
   
 “It’s okay, protective screen,” Makoto spoke slowly, distracted by something. “Hmm, yeah it’s registered as a historic site, so it gets some money and no taxes. I’m guessing they also sell shrine charms and all that stuff.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I can try to dig more if you want?”  
   
 “Yeah, you do that.” Rin got out of his chair. “I think I’m going to go back to the shrine.”  
   
 “Uhhh…”  
   
 “Yeah?”  
   
 “Well the spirit told you not to…”  
   
 “Well the spirit’s dumb.” Rin ruffled his own hair and then combed his fringe with his fingers. “If I need answers, I need answers. I get the warnings and shit are great, but sometimes you gotta dive headfirst and just swim.”  
   
 “Mhm.” Makoto glanced to the side. “I… kind of don’t like using Haruka’s access code to get info… Why can’t we just tell him?”  
   
 Rin sighed. “Makoto.”  
   
 “Okay…” Makoto grabbed another cat and kissed its nose. “I get it…”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin remembered the way to the shrine and walked along the path exiting the city. He looked around at the trees, unsure if they were real or synthetic. He kept walking until he saw the tunnel of red archway leading to the steps. He rubbed the stud on his tongue against the roof of his mouth before he dug his hands in his pockets. His hood was down, but his ponytail was up.  
   
 There was no one sweeping the steps this time.  
   
 Rin walked under the red arches, eyes drifting up to them. When he got to the steps, he noticed each one was wide and long, square shaped. “What the fuck’s the point of this?” He had to make awkward steps to walk up them but eventually made his way to the top.  
   
 There was one more red Shinto archway, massive in size, but the courtyard of the temple was modest. There were a few temples, with tiled roofs and the usual theme going on. He wanted to snort at it and pretend he hated the mood that bordered between traditional and archaic, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought about his sister…  
   
 He remembered when they were in their early teens, and she had dressed in a red yukata for a festival. For which festival, he didn’t remember. But she wore a red yukata and she looked amazing, and he threatened Haru, Makoto, and Sousuke if they got too close to her—of course all four of them ended up being the kind of guys who sucked dick, but he didn’t know that back then.  
   
 The shrine by their houses always had tons of food during festivals.  
   
 Gou always wanted the takoyaki, little breaded balls of octopus. Now, whenever he—  
   
 “Excuse me.”  
   
 Rin jumped.  
   
 At his side was the grey haired kid (although he looked like he was in his late teens close up, maybe even early twenties) with the bowl cut (which was kind of cute close up, too) who was wearing the typical shrine clothes.  
   
 “Shit.” Rin rubbed his nose. “Scared me.”  
   
 “Ah.” He bowed instantly. “I’m sorry!”  
   
 “Nah, it’s cool.”  
   
 He raised his head again.  
   
 Rin caught sight of a beauty mark under one of his eyes and he blinked.  
   
 Nitori tensed and looked around. “Um, Sir… I don’t mean to be rude or anything but it would be best if you leave the premise as soon as possible thank you.”  
   
 “What?”  
   
 “Y-You should leave.”  
   
 Rin leaned forward and examined his face. “How old are you?”  
   
 “Please leave.”  
   
 “Tell me your name.”  
   
 “L-Leave.”  
   
 Rin stepped forward and watched him take a step back. “You’re not being a good host, you know?”  
   
 “Maybe I-I don’t want to be a good host.” He took a deep breath. “I’m only going to ask you to leave one more time.”  
   
 Rin looked away and huffed. “Maybe I want to look around. It’s a shrine, I can do that, can’t I?”  
   
 “This is a private shrine.”  
   
 “A what?” Rin looked at him. “The fuck is a private shrine?”  
   
 “During the day we sell amulets and charms there,” he said as he pointed to a booth off to the side but near the front. “The courtyard,” he motioned to the big expanse of space, “Is open at all times; h-however, this shrine is our home. We live here.” He swallowed hard and stood his ground. “And as highly as I think of a man in his early twenties dressed like a thug, I don’t feel comfortable with letting strangers walk in my home.”  
   
 Rin’s right eyebrow, the one that was pierced, twitched.  
   
 The grey haired male took a deep breath and began to cower under the glare.  
   
 Rin made a ‘tsk’ noise and looked around. “Well, maybe I want to look around the courtyard.”  
   
 “Well, kn-knock yourself out…”  
   
 “Uhuh.” Rin smiled. “Let me guess: I turn my back, and you’ll knock me out for me, huh?”  
   
 He nodded slowly.  
   
 “Tsk.” Rin bit his lip. “How about, you just don’t watch me while I look around?”  
   
 “How about you leave?”  
   
 “Fuck you.” Rin turned around. “Fine.”  
   
 “A-And!” he took a deep breath. “Don’t think about coming back at night and think you can walk around and look around!”  
   
 Rin walked down the steps and scowled. As much as he hated that kid, he had to admit—he had guts. Rin bit his lip and decided on the next course of action.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin ended up getting the bus stops mixed up and ended up getting off a station after the one he wanted. It wasn’t too bad; it was just a walk in the city. He passed by a street vendor selling hot food and his stomach growled, but the special was octopus and Rin’s mouth suddenly tasted like ash. He walked past that vendor and found another; he ended up getting a halibut burger, breaded with panko. It wasn’t half bad, but he definitely had better. He paid with his card, a simple tap doing the transaction. He had finished ripping through his burger with his teeth when he decided to call Makoto.  
   
 But when he flipped open his phone, he saw a message staring at him.  
   
  _[Makoto: Uhhh so Haru kinda figured out I was using his code… he’s pretty mad.]_  
   
 Rin froze.  
   
 The halibut suddenly disagreed with his stomach.  
   
 His fingers blurred across his keyboard.  
   
  _[Rin: Oh fuck u in trouble?]_  
   
 He continued walking, but his phone didn’t beep until he was in the elevator.  
   
  _[Makoto: I tried to cheer him up with his favourite cat but it didn’t work.]_  
   
 Rin groaned. “Makoto you fucking idiot…”  
   
  _[Makoto: But he’s not too too mad… but he wants to talk to you. Can we vid soon?]_  
   
 Rin closed his phone when the elevator doors opened and he walked down the hall to the apartment he was borrowing. He silently wondered what he’d do if Haruka disapproved of his mission. He’d probably end up getting kicked out of the apartment. Fuck. He fumbled for his keys, unlocked the door and stepped in.  
   
 Rin went through the cupboards and found a small bowl. He filled it with cold water and put it on the table. Quickly opening his reagent box, he grabbed several pink mountain berries (that’s what they called them in Australia; he considered calling them ‘Heathers’ a fucking joke) and dropped them in. He snapped a cinnamon stick and dropped it in.  
   
 Cinnamon and heathers were always good for luck.  
   
 And with angry Haru, luck was a good thing.  
   
 He knew he was putting it off so he walked over to his laptop and sent a request for a video call with Makoto.  
   
 The window opened up and Makoto gave him a sheepish smile.  
   
 Rin noticed Haru wasn’t there yet. “I went to the shrine, met one of the shrine maiden guy people things… didn’t go too well. Maybe that old wire hag was right.”  
   
 “Hmm.” Makoto looked at his notebook but an angry meow caught his attention. He looked to the side, looked down, then back up. “I’m sure it just wants you to pet him!”  
   
 “No,” came a voice that could only be Haruka’s.  
   
 Rin tensed.  
   
 “Awww, pet him!”  
   
 Haruka moved next to Makoto and stared at the screen. “What the fuck are you doing, Rin?”  
   
 “None of your business, Haru.”  
   
 Haruka’s eyebrows knitted together, but he said nothing.  
   
 Clearing his throat, Makoto grabbed his electronic pen. “Well you know with the rise of illegal and spiritual activity in Nazuoka, Rin thought it would be best to investigate. So he’s helping!”  
   
 “He’s annoying,” Haruka muttered to himself.  
   
 “Hey!” Rin shouted. “I’m right here!”  
   
 Haruka only frowned.  
   
 Makoto sighed. “Anyway, there is a nexus with some shady things going on. We have a feeling there’s something being hidden from us.”  
   
 Haruka looked down at the tablet and tapped a button.  
   
 Rin pursed his lips. “There’s uh, classified info we can’t get.”  
   
 Haruka nodded.  
   
 Makoto blinked. “You know this place?”  
   
 Haruka nodded again.  
   
 Makoto nudged his shoulder. “So?”  
   
 “Classified.” Haruka looked up to Rin. “Don’t do anything. Leave the case alone.”  
   
 “Well I’m not just going to stop just because you say so,” Rin snarled. “Is that an order, Mister High and Mighty?”  
   
 Haruka’s eyebrow twitched, but silence was his weapon.  
   
 “Fuck you, Haru.” Rin crossed his arms. “Only way I’m not getting involved is if you order me.”  
   
 “O-Okay…” Makoto made a little rainbow with his hands (being a shade-caster with an attribution of light, he could create any colour of visible light). “How about all of us just calm down, okay? Enough you two.”  
   
 Haruka glared at the stupid rainbow and snapped his finger.  
   
 The rainbow broke like glass and disappeared.  
   
 Makoto actually pouted.  
   
 Haruka, feeling a pang of guilt, picked up a kitten off the ground and put it in Makoto’s lap.  
   
 A smile returned to Makoto’s face.  
   
 Rin rolled his eyes. “Look, Haru, if you want to be involved then help. Don’t just be an asshole without telling me why.”  
   
 Haruka looked down then sighed. “Okay.”  
   
 Makoto blinked. “Really?”  
   
 “I’m… obligated to keep this district classified.” Haruka looked up to the camera. “Tell them you’re with The Eye.”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin leaned forward. “So I’m right! There’s something going on there.”  
   
 Haruka nodded. “I can’t tell you anything. If they choose to tell you, then you can know.” He shrugged. “S-Rank classified.”  
   
 “Whoa…” Rin blinked. “We have one of those in Japan? I thought they were all in Europe and South America.”  
   
 Haruka made an annoyed ‘tch’ noise and got up before leaving the room.  
   
 “Great!” Rin leaned back on his chair.  
   
 Makoto pulled out his headphones and plugged them in for safe measure. His eyes were glancing right, watching as Haruka left the room. When he was gone, Makoto sighed and ran a hand through his hair. A little meow made him smile and he hugged the kitty close to his heart.  
   
 “He’s been a lot less cooperative now that he’s in a position of power and shit.” Rin crossed his legs and looked at the ceiling. “Hm…”  
   
 “Well, maybe he’s also less cooperative when you swear at him. Rin…” The kitten leapt out of Makoto’s arms and he reached for it but it was gone. Makoto sighed and just hugged himself. “Why, Rin? Why…? The four of us, we used to be so close. I mean, we haven’t heard from Sousuke in a year.”  
   
 “Five of us,” Rin corrected.  
   
 Makoto looked at the camera.  
   
 Rin saw the regret swirling in those green eyes and he looked away. “It doesn’t matter, Makoto. People change. I’m the same I always was; it’s Haru that’s got the new personality.”  
   
 “Do you ever wonder what Sousuke’s doing?”  
   
 Rin would have snapped at the change of subject, but… “Sousuke? Fuck if I know.” He scowled. “Asshole left us.”  
   
 “He was grieving,” Makoto pointed out.  
   
 “It’s been a fucking year!” Rin slammed his hand on the table. “We were…” He sighed, looking away. “Fuck, sorry… I shouldn’t have yelled at you, but!” Rin clasped both hands on his face. “He should have come back by now…”  
   
 “Yeah…” Makoto sighed. “He used to keep you and Haru on the same side. He wasn’t our captain for nothing. But those were different times. There was war going on; back then, witches had different duties. Plus, we can’t expect him to hold us together. We’re grown men, Rin… even if it doesn’t feel like it.”  
   
 Rin looked down at his lap. “I think I’m going to go to bed.”  
   
 “Huh?” Makoto blinked. “But it’s still pretty early.”  
   
 “I’m just tired.” Rin shrugged. “Incantations, rituals, Haruka, sassy but kind of cute shrine boys. Too much for one day. Maybe I’ll sleep, maybe I’ll nap. I don’t know.”  
   
 “Okay… goodnight. Things will be better when you wake up, I promise.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Nitori did as he was told; using the wooden spoon, he stirred the contents of the pan to make sure it was cooked evenly. It had taken him a while to realise he was actually cooking tofu. It was crumbled tofu, but it looked like ground beef with the sizzling sauce. He stirred the crumbled tofu, chopped onion, garlic, pepper, and a dash of ginger. “It smells great.”  
   
 “Yeah?” Momotarou smiled as he washed the lettuce leaves. “You seem a little distracted, though…”  
   
 Nitori looked down and nodded.  
   
 “Aiichiro.” Rei stepped in the kitchen. “Is it because of that man?”  
   
 “He came back,” Nitori muttered.  
   
 Momotarou shoved a lettuce leaf in his mouth, but proceeded to talk anyway, “Who?”  
   
 Rei rolled his eyes, used to the antics. “A suspicious man.”  
   
 “His teeth…” Nitori looked over his shoulder. “They were sharp, like a shark… I…”  
   
 Momotarou swallowed. “You think he’s an evil spirit in a human body?”  
   
 “Maybe.” Nitori stirred the pan. “If he’s not that, then he’s a witch. Either way, I’m sure he can trace paranormal waves.”  
   
 Rei adjusted his glasses and narrowed his eyes. “I see. I’ll keep a defense barrier running, should the worst come to worst.”  
   
 “Wait…” Momotarou made a face. “Are we in serious danger?”  
   
 “Possibly,” Rei muttered. “Either way, we can’t wait for tomorrow. We need to act now.”  
   
 “Is this done?” Nitori asked.  
   
 “Huh?" Momotarou glanced to the pan. "Oh, yeah. Just cover and keep it on simmer.”  
   
 Nitori nodded and looked around for the top. He put it over the pan and reduced the heat on the gas stove. “Even if he’s a witch, there’s no way he can trace the murders back to me.”


	3. Secret

 Rin dreamed of beaches. He dreamed of bright blue-teal waters the colour of Sousuke’s eyes, light sand rich like Nagisa’s hair; warmth, warm sun that reminded him of Makoto’s smile, and a calm ease that could easily be compared to Haruka. But with the four of them, someone else was on the beach, making a sandcastle with Nagisa.  
   
 Her hair was maroon, but a touch closer to pink than his.  
   
 The beach was her favourite place.  
   
 The ocean was her dream.  
   
   
 Rin’s eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling of his apartment. Not his apartment, he mentally corrected, just the condominium he was borrowing from The Eye. He slipped out of bed and got up. He rubbed his face, sighing angrily. He checked the time—12:41 pm—and sighed again. It was lunchtime, so he walked to the fridge and opened it.  
   
 Nothing.  
   
 Well, Rin grumbled, there wasn’t _nothing_ , but nothing he could make a quick meal out of. He closed the fridge and opened the double doors of the pantry.  
   
 Stocked with non-perishables, but nothing that appealed.  
   
 Rin closed them and decided he’d go out, get food from some random place. He grabbed his phone on the counter, checking his messages.  
   
 Makoto had sent him more cat pictures, including one of Haruka screaming when one of the kittens tried to claw his eyes out. Rin chuckled to himself, finding no shame in pleasure from other’s misfortune. But besides the pictures, there were two actual messages. One that was a newsletter from The Eye, but he didn’t bother checking it.  
   
 If there was anything important, someone would have told him.  
   
 The second message was from his teacher, Miho Amakata. A witch who… was a little strange. Although high ranking (being in charge of the entire medical wing was no small feet), she was clumsy and a bit awkward at times. She got nervous if you asked her something too forcefully, but Rin had made the mistake of taking her lightly once and only once—being hexed into a frog for three days had taught him his much-needed lesson.  
   
 She was kind, motherly, and elegantly let out her dark side whenever she needed something from them.  
   
 Nagisa had always said that she was his role-model.  
   
 He flipped his phone open.  
   
  _[Sensei: Do you think you could help out tonight? We’re understaffed. ]_  
   
 Rin quickly typed his reply.  
   
  _[Rin: Sorry not in the area dealing with some bad spirits nd shit ask Makoto]_  
   
 He felt a little bad; Makoto couldn’t refuse and he just put him on the hot seat.  
   
 “Oops.” Rin shrugged. He put his phone down and tugged off his shirt. Stripping the rest of his clothes, he walked to the bathroom, which was a tiny little room with a decent shower. He reached into the shower and turned the water on. It blasted cold. Rin soured and didn’t want to wait for the water to warm up, so he focused his energy into his hand.  
   
 Being an easy spell, no chanting was needed.  
   
 A rune consisting of two circles and a vertical line through them appeared in his palm and he crushed it.  
   
 Steam began to rise from the water.  
   
 Rin stepped in and hummed happily. He ran his hand through his hair, guiding the water through the strands. The steaming liquid ran over his muscles, over his tattoos, over his mind.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Searching up good breakfast places that would still be open at one in the afternoon, Rin found a small dingy looking place. He soured at the sight of it, but the food smelled good and tasted better. With his stomach full, he walked around, looking at the different part of the city he was in, then searched up bus routes to the shrine. The tram came within five minutes of him getting to the stop, and he sat near the back of the perilous white tram.  
   
 He looked out the window, watching the colours blur before he got to his stop.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 When Rin walked down the road to the shrine, his eyes glanced to the tori. Above the red archway was a minor blur. A weak invisibility spell. When he stared at it, it disappeared. Rin sighed, knowing they had every reason to be on the lookout.  
   
 He had _tried_ to dress a little better (especially since that hella cute runt said he looked like a thug), so he donned a black shirt and a light blue hoodie, thin, unzipped, and with pockets. He wore black cargo pants as well, tied around his hips with a light blue belt. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he realised he probably still looked like a thug, but blue was a nice gentle colour, right?  
   
 He walked under the tori arches and stepped up the steps.  
   
 The bowl cut shrine guy was staring at him, alert of his presence.  
   
 Rin wondered if it was him who was acting as a sentry, but it didn’t seem likely.  
   
 Bowl cut shrine guy (Rin kind of wanted to know his name) was wearing actual clothes this time. A white shirt and grey shorts. If it wasn’t for his runners that had a streak of red on them, he’d be monochrome.  
   
 “Hey,” Rin said with a little wave.  
   
 “You again.” He frowned. “I asked you to leave last time.”  
   
 “Yeah, I got your warning.” Rin patted his pocket and felt his wallet. “Are you guys…” He pulled out his wallet and looked around. “With, The Eye?”  
   
 He blinked and took a step back. “I-In a word… yeah.”  
   
 Rin glanced to the side, noticing two others walking towards them. “Well.” He offered a blank card. “I’m with The Eye. Rin Matsuoka.”  
   
 “Nitori,” he offered before taking the card. His blue eyes dulled in colour and Rin didn’t have to ask to know he was using his third eye to scout the invisible runes on the card. “I see.” His eyes returned to normal and he handed it back. “Wh-Why are you, here?”  
   
 The other two joined them. One was in a black business suit with red glasses, the other was a teenager in street clothes. They clashed, but he didn’t say anything.  
   
 “Nitori?” the one with glasses asked.  
   
 “He’s with The Eye.” Nitori swallowed hard. “Why are you here?”  
   
 “I heard about things going on here.” Rin shrugged. “Decided to check it out since none of the others seemed to show any interest in it.”  
   
 Nitori took a deep breath and rubbed his wrists together. “The Eye is not involved in the investigation.”  
   
 “Hmm.” Rin looked around the shrine then his eyes fell on Nitori again. “And I’m guessing, for some reason, you don’t want backup?”  
   
 “Well.” The one with glasses. “The Iris has politely told us they’re not getting involved unless we beg them.”  
   
 Rin’s mouth tasted like ash. “Did the Iris himself say that?”  
   
 “Iris?” the other redhead nudged Nitori’s shoulder.  
   
 Nitori sighed. “The Iris is the leader of The Eye. He’s the highest ranking member of the High Council. He calls all the shots, really.”  
   
 “Whoa, so the head of the whole thing, huh?” the redhead put his hands behind his head. “I bet he’s like a total old geezer with a white beard and everything, isn’t he?”  
   
 Rin rolled his eyes.  
   
 “Matsuoka,” the one with glasses spoke, “Was it?”  
   
 “Yeah, Rin’s fine.”  
   
 “Very well, Rin.” He motioned to one of the buildings. “Let’s talk over some tea.”  
   
 Rin felt a twist in his gut. “Okay.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 They had made introductions, in one sense of the word. Rei Ryugazaki introduced himself as the head of the shrine, and then Momotarou Mikoshiba tried flirting with him, but Nitori cut him off. Nitori, Rin realised, never gave his full name, which he found oddly suspicious, but he knew better than to question that openly.  
   
 “In short,” Rei said as he poured four cups of tea, “We are Japan’s origin house.”  
   
 “Origin house,” Rin repeated. “And what exactly is an origin house? Is that like an origin point?”  
   
 “It’s exactly like one.” Rei put the teapot down. “This shrine serves as both a storehouse and a library of all Japanese witchcraft.” He pushed the four teacups, Victorian in style with mini plates under them, to the four of them. “When The Eye was formed, every hidden witch society had to become international. Japan, a more conservative country at the time, was very reluctant to join the organisation. That’s when The Eye came up with the idea of origin houses.”  
   
 “So keep everything hidden and safe and together?” Rin asked.  
   
 Rei nodded. “A lot of the magic used by witches of The Eye are international spells, but in each house you will find unique and even modified spells, as well as forbidden ones.” He looked up. “Before you ask, I will not let you go through our library. That is off limits.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Momotarou nodded. “And we haven’t dusted it in like four freakin’ years.”  
   
 Nitori cracked a smile.  
   
 “So…” Rin grabbed the teacup, noticing the liquid was a dark red colour. It smelled like black tea, but he figured it was infused with some herb or another. “You guys basically watch over the origin house?”  
   
 “Yes.” It was Nitori who answered this time. “As well as deal with the section of the grid.”  
   
 Rei looked at Rin and frowned. “The Eye didn’t send you, correct? You came of your own will?”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
 “The Eye is not on good terms with us.”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin blinked. “Why?”  
   
 “Because,” Momotarou interrupted, “They’re fucking dicks!”  
   
 Rin scoffed. “I’ll agree with you there.”  
   
 Nitori glanced at him. “You don’t, get along with them?”  
   
 “I’ve got friends in high places,” he admitted, “But I don’t like the organisation, anymore… I worked for them during the war. The war was what brought everyone together, but that’s over now.”  
   
 “War brings everyone together,” Rei muttered. “That’s how The Mahō was formed.”  
   
 “Mahō?”  
   
 “The Mahō is the name of organisation guarding the Japanese origin house. Us,” Rei explained. “It was over a hundred years ago, after the Second World War, The Mahō formed. Although witches are human, we can’t involve ourselves in human wars. Magic must remain in secrecy.”  
   
 “Uhuh.” Rin frowned. “But there are a bunch of fuckers that try.”  
   
 Rei tilted his head. “Experience?”  
   
 “Mhm.” Rin nodded. “My squad was one that dealt with a lot of people trying to get magic involved in the Third World War. Not to mention, Chrysalises.”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “You mean, those are real?”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Tricky fuckers, but they’re real. But that’s way off topic, why are The Eye and The, uh, Mahō? Against each other?”  
   
 “Not quite against each other.” Rei sipped his tea. “But they’ve essentially told us they want to take over the shrine and the origin house and refuse to give us any assistance unless we let them rip through our records.”  
   
 Rin rubbed the stud on his tongue against the backside of his teeth. “That’s fucked.”  
   
 Nitori nodded.  
   
 Rin shook his head. “That’s really fucked… Have you tried talking to the members of the High Council personally? I’m sure there’s going to be one that’ll take your side. I know the representative of Asia.”  
   
 “Haruka Nanase,” Rei muttered. “He has been helping, actually. He’s supplied us with funds and magical supplies to keep us standing, but not even he can change the policies overnight.”  
   
 “Politics.” Rin sighed and looked away. “But good to know Haru’s helping…”  
   
 Nitori shifted in his seat. “Haru? That’s kind of a personal nickname.”  
   
 “Grew up together, worked in the same squad.” Rin sipped his tea. “Nothing too exciting. We’re friends, kinda. But yeah, I agree with you guys… The Eye’s current policy is to pretty much bastardise origin houses and steal everything…”  
   
 “The Eye is also Western-dominant,” Rei added, “Most Eastern spells and history tend to fall off their grid of interest unless it’s useful to them.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Yep.”  
   
 “Japan’s treated pretty good, though,” Momotarou spoke up. “I mean um, I think it is. I don’t know anything about it, but since you know, the whole… Hazuki issue…”  
   
 Rei looked away.  
   
 Rin paled.  
   
 Nitori swallowed hard. “Yes it is.”  
   
 Momotarou seemed to understand he fucked up so he got up. “I’ll get us like a mini lunch or something!”  
   
 Nitori looked up. “I’ll help.”  
   
 “Stay,” Rei said.  
   
 Nitori stared at him, then nodded.  
   
 Momotarou left, leaving the three of them there.  
   
 Rin finished his tea and put the cup back on the plate. “So, what you’re mostly saying is you guys are alone in the problem?”  
   
 Nitori sighed. “Yep.”  
   
 “So, I know I’m from The Eye, but will you take my help?”  
   
 Rei noticed Nitori’s pleading look, begging him to say no, but he knew he was between a rock and a hard place. After a minute, he finally sighed. “I’m unsure.”  
   
 “Unsure?” Rin asked. “What could you be so unsure ab—”  
   
 Something shattered.  
   
 Nitori glanced to the kitchen. “Momo?” After a silence he stood up. “Momo?”  
   
 Rei got up as well.  
   
 Rin frowned and stood up.  
   
 Momotarou stumbled out of the kitchen and a rune was on his forehead. “H-Hey, Rin… if you want to help… there’s a big one.”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “What is it?”  
   
 “Another corrupted spirit, I think.” Momotarou frowned. “It’s in the forest.”  
   
 “Where?”  
   
 “East.”  
   
 Nitori ran out the door.  
   
 “Ai!” Rei shouted. “Damn. Give him back up!”  
   
 Momotarou nodded. “I’ll get my bow!”  
   
 Rin glanced at him. “And you?”  
   
 “I have to hold the barrier,” Rei muttered. “It can’t sense us here, but we can’t sense it. Momotarou has a natural gift at sensory work, so he can perceive past it.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Need my help?”  
   
 “No.”  
   
 “Yes,” Momotarou corrected as he entered the room. “I’m sensing multiple. Ai and I can’t take it alone.”  
   
 “But,” Rei began, but cut himself off because… “Very well.”  
   
  “Follow me, Rin.”  
   
 “Okay.” Rin smirked. “Been itching for a good fight.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “No…” Nitori watched the four light blue spheres of burning energy coalesce and merge. “What monster would…?”  
   
 The four spheres were made of spirit energy; and, although they were the same colour, the colour of the dead, each one had a unique soul at the very centre. Those souls swirled and spun, fused and merged, becoming one.  
   
 Nitori’s hands turned into fists. “Why? Why would you do that to them?”  
   
 From the great sphere, two hands formed at opposite ends and stretched outwards; the spirit essence became strings, creating the bone and muscles of the arms. After the elbow, the arms became thicker. From the top of the circle, four faces pushed outwards, like a hydra, each one smiling in crazed bliss. The four faces all screamed, each one a different pitch and tone but each one holding the same insanity in their psychic scream.  
   
 Nitori put his hands to his ear, not doing much to stop the sound waves from rattling his brain and sending tremors through his bones. His knees gave out and he fell to the ground, crinkling the autumn leaves beneath him.  
   
 The scream became louder.  
   
 Nitori’s eyes became wet and he wasn’t sure if they were tears or blood.  
   
 “Shut the fuck up!”  
   
 Nitori looked up in time to see a serpent dragon blast fire on the spirit monster.  
   
 The four faces screamed, but a different one. They held up their hands to block the fire.  
   
 Nitori looked to the side. “Rin?”  
   
 Rin called the serpent dragon back and it coiled loosely around his body. The dragon itself was purely made of spirit fire and its eyes burned a bright white.  
   
 “Ai!” Momotarou dropped next to him. “Shit, you’re bleeding.” He held a hand over his friend and it began to glow a warm orange.  
   
 Nitori realised blood was streaming down his cheek. “I… couldn’t do anything.”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Rin focused on the opponent. “I know how to fight these things.” He whipped his hand to the side and his dragon flew around the creature. When Rin threw his hand down, the dragon unleashed a fiery stream.  
   
 Momotarou moved his hands away. “You’re good.”  
   
 Nitori nodded in thanks and stood up. “There are four souls, merged together. If we can’t help them pass to the next world, they’ll…”  
   
 The spirit monster reeled an arm back and threw a punch at Rin.  
   
 Rin rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the slam. He whispered an incantation and spheres of fire created a ring around the monster’s wrist. “Snap!” he shouted and a crunching noise ripped the monster’s hand off. It burst into blue fire, dissipating into the air.  
   
 Nitori turned to the beast and swallowed hard. “Momo…”  
   
 “No way.” Momotarou shook his head. “You stay out of this.”  
   
 Rin overheard the conversation but thought nothing of it. He commanded his serpent dragon to fire at the main body and it followed his command.  
   
 The spirit monster elbowed the dragon, shattering it, before its arm went back for another punch.  
   
 Rin, mentally disrupted by the abrupt break of his dragon, froze in place.  
   
 Momotarou threw his hand forward. Orange squares piled and stacked in front of Rin, growing outwards to become a shield.  
   
 But the broken fist slammed through it.  
   
 Both Momotarou and Rin screamed.  
   
 “Shit!” Nitori shouted. His blue eyes turned to the monster. He swallowed hard.  
   
 The spirit monster pulled its arm back and went in for another slam.  
   
 Purple energy danced between Nitori’s fingertips. Time and space crunched in his palm, creating small bolts of pure force. He blasted his spell forward and controlled its path with his mind; just before impact, it widened into an arc and sliced off the creature’s elbow.  
   
 Rin forced himself up, staring at Nitori. “Psion…”  
   
 Nitori swallowed hard, but didn’t make eye contact.  
   
 Momotarou grabbed him. “What did you do?”  
   
 Nitori opened his palm and sent several more blasts outwards; each one ripped off a chunk of the spirit energy surrounding the soul at the centre. The four heads stared at him and bared their fangs before they went in for the kill.  
   
 Rin threw his arm to the sky, blasting out a wall of fire between Nitori and the opponent.  
   
 When the heads moved through the fire, they screamed again.  
   
 Nitori felt his vision blur as the sound ripped his brain.  
   
 Rin covered his ears and his spell broke.  
   
 Momotarou pulled an arrow out of his quiver and drew his bow. Hands shaking, he forced himself to slip the end of the arrow onto the cord, and he pulled back. Kneeling forward, he closed one eye and at the core of his pupil a rune of sight focused. He released the arrow and it launched towards the core.  
   
 The single arrow shot through the core and the monster’s scream became silent pleas for help. The long necks and the faces broke like paper in the wind.  
   
 “Send it!” Momotarou shouted.  
   
 Nitori’s mind went black and he fell on the ground.  
   
 Rin gasped, but focused. White crystals appeared around him before they shattered into a ring of spirit essence around his chest. He slapped his hands together and closed his hands.  
   
 ‘ _Leave this world and move on to bliss._ ’  
   
 The core of souls began to break apart, dispersing.  
   
 ‘ _Leave this world and move on to bliss._ ’  
   
 Momotarou fell to his knees.  
   
 ‘ _Leave this world and move on to bliss._ ’  
   
 Rin opened his eyes, watching the souls move on.  
   
 ‘ _Leave this world and move on to bliss._ ’  
   
 The core disappeared.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin wanted to argue against the bandages, but Rei was professional about it. He didn’t realise just how much blood he had bled until he took his shirt off. He had bandages wrapped around his ribs and right arm. Rei had told him he was lucky that he hadn’t gotten too hurt, but Momotarou pointed out that he only took one hit for all of that damage.  
   
 Rin glanced over to Nitori, who was resting on the sofa, a cloth dipped in cold water on his forehead. He didn’t know how long he watched the kid, but after a while he saw those blue eyes open.  
   
 “Hn.” Nitori pulled the cloth off and sat up. He looked around. “Where are the others?”  
   
 “Momo-taurus or whatever said he’s making dinner, not sure where glasses went.”  
   
 Nitori let out a chuckle, but it died quickly on his lips. “Rin…”  
   
 “Yeah?”  
   
 “Don’t get involved.” He looked at him, making eye contact. “Please, just forget what you saw and go.”  
   
 “You’d be dead without me, ‘Tori.”  
   
 “Tori?” Nitori smiled at the nickname, but it became strained. “Please… just leave.”  
   
 “It’s because you’re a psion,” Rin muttered. “Because you can bend reality with your mind, isn’t it?”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened and his heart stopped.  
   
 “You’re in control, though, right?”  
   
 “Y-Yes…”  
   
 “Then, that’s cool with me.”  
   
 Nitori blinked. “What?”  
   
 “My sister…” Rin began, but didn’t finish. He rubbed his neck “Your secret’s safe with me, ‘kay?”  
   
 “Oh… thank you, Matsuoka.”  
   
 “Rin,” he corrected. “Rin’s fine.”  
   
 “Okay. Thank you, Rin.”  
   
 Rin’s lips twitched. “Ah, shut up.”  
   
 Nitori smiled.  
   
 And Rin realised he liked that smile.


	4. Recall

 Rin reached for his chopsticks and winced in pain, but said nothing. He was sitting diagonal from Rei as Momotarou and Nitori were serving them. Rin thought nothing of it when he heard they would be having fried rice for dinner, but when the bowl was placed in front of him, he whistled. Brown rice, eggs, peas, carrots, onions, tofu, chicken, and several other things he could barely identify, all garnished with parsley and spring onions. “It smells great! Thanks.”  
   
 “You’re welcome.” Momotarou laughed and put a bowl in front of Rei before sitting next to him, across from Rin.  
   
 Nitori placed one bowl for Momotarou and then took his seat next to Rin. “Itadakimasu,” he muttered under his breath.  
   
 “Huh.” Rin glanced over. “That’s a phrase I haven’t heard in a while.”  
   
 Nitori shrugged. “I-I, only say it out of habit.”  
   
 With the greater internationalism and interconnectivity, most cultures had blurred together. Several things, such as saying grace, bon appétit, or itadakimasu before a meal had vanished in the past.  
   
 Rin began eating and his eyes widened. “Damn, this _is_ good.”  
   
 “Momotarou might be annoying,” Rei teased with a quip of a smile, “But he’s a good chef.”  
   
 “Yeah yeah!” Momotarou gave a mock-frown before he offered Rin a smile and leaned in. “I cook, I clean… You know, I’m perfect housewife material! If you’re interested.”  
   
 Rin paused, raising one eyebrow. “What?”  
   
 Rei blinked. “What?”  
   
 Nitori stared at him. “What?”  
   
 “Well, I saw the way you fought…” Momo snickered to himself. “It was kind of hot.”  
   
 Nitori made eye-contact with the shorter redhead and a radial blast wave erupted from his forehead.  
   
 The table and the food were unharmed, but Momotarou was tossed out of the room. “Ouchie!”  
   
 “Nitori,” Rei warned.  
   
 “He was being rude…” Nitori’s cheeks tinted red and he began eating.  
   
 “Ai!” Momotarou stood up and walked back in the room. He righted his chair and his lower lip wobbled. “Meanie.”  
   
 “Ai?” Rin glanced to Nitori.  
   
 Nitori swallowed. “Aiichiro Nitori… I go by my surname, because I’m… as you know, a psion, and yeah…”  
   
 Momotarou tensed and Rei squeezed his chopsticks.  
   
 Rin knew he was being stared at, so he just kept eating.  
   
 Rei decided that everyone seemed fairly content with each other and relaxed. “Excuse Momotarou, he has a tendency to flirt with anything that moves.”  
   
 “Hnn, it’s not my fault! I’m stuck in this shrine half the time and I can’t meet any cute guys or girls!”  
   
 Rin scoffed. “Why not go to a club?”  
   
 “Sixteen,” Momotarou whined.  
   
 “Geez, you’re just a kid.” Rin glanced over to Nitori. “You?”  
   
 “Twenty.” Nitori looked at him. “You?”  
   
 “Twenty-two.” They held eye contact longer than they should have, so he turned to Rei. “You?”  
   
 “Twenty-six,” Rei muttered. “Momotarou is a support-type,” he used his all-business tone of voice, “Specializing in restoration and barriers, as well as sensory abilities. His ability to commune with spirits is relatively poor, and his social abilities and professionalism are even worse.”  
   
 “Rei!”  
   
 “But he provides us with a great amount of information as a sentry.” Rei put his bowl down. “Nitori is the one doing the field work, mostly alone, occasionally with help from us, but I must maintain the shrine, keep up the magic barriers, and deal with tactics. As I said before, that leaves Nitori doing his part of the investigation, the biggest part, by himself.”  
   
 Rin made eye contact as he ate. After several mouthfuls he put his bowl down and sipped his glass of water. “So, you’re asking me to join?”  
   
 Rei looked at Nitori. “It’s up to Aiichiro.”  
   
 Rin glanced to his side.  
   
 “You… I owe you my life.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “It was a big fight.”  
   
 Nitori looked down. “That’s not what I meant.”  
   
 “I know.” Rin sipped his water again. “I’m not going to turn you in.”  
   
 “Thank you.” Nitori looked away. “Then you can work with me, I guess.”  
   
 Rin finished his bowl and pushed it forward. “Can I have more?”  
   
 “Sure!” Momotarou grabbed it and got up. “I made a whole pot of it!”  
   
 Rei’s eyes were soft on Rin.  
   
 Rin looked away. “I don’t think it’s fair, what they do to the psions, people just born that way… but it’s necessary. You on the other hand… The Eye will leave you alone, won’t they?”  
   
 Rei swallowed hard. “We can’t be sure of that.”  
   
 “And…” Nitori shook his head. “I don’t want to find out…”  
   
 Rin pursed his lips.  
   
 Momotarou came back with another steaming bowl for Rin. “You’re really, uh, sympathetic to his cause, or whatever.”  
   
 Nitori looked up at him. “You’re… You mentioned your sister?”  
   
 “Ah.” Rin tensed. “Don’t… ask.”  
   
 Rei pursed his lips. “I would respect the sensitivity… but considering this concerns Nitori’s safety, a short summary would be nice.”  
   
 “Um.” Rin sighed. “I don’t really want to but, I guess that’s kind of fair. We grew up as kids of great witches, both of us learned tons of rituals by ten… Before.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at his bowl. “Before she turned twelve, about a month or two before, she realised what she was. A psion… She…” Rin paused.  
   
 He remembered coming home one day; he was fifteen, backpack on his back, running home to tell Gou about his first kiss with Haru.  
   
 He remembered seeing three older witches in their home, dressed in black robes.  
   
 Gou sitting in a chair in the middle of the room.  
   
 They…  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “Matsuoka?”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin blinked and turned his head. “Sorry?”  
   
 “Your sister,” Rei muttered, quietly.  
   
 Rin swallowed hard and shook his head. “She called… I mean, she was taken by…”  
   
 Momotarou sipped his glass of water before putting it down. “Is she still… you know, um…” He wiggled his lips. “A-Alive?”  
   
 Rin’s eyebrows went up. “Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah. She was moved to a different containment facility than most, but that’s because of me. I became… an honourary member of The Eye. Can we, talk about something else?”  
   
 Rei paused, eyes turning cold, colder than they had been in years. “Honourary member…” He put his bowl down, making an unnecessary clattering sound. “Rin Matsuoka… I knew I heard that name before. No wonder you were familiar. You were among the ones who took care of the… Hazuki incident.”  
   
 “Don’t…” Rin squeezed his chopsticks. “Don’t mention that. Nobody… Heh, nobody should be honoured for doing what the four of us did…”  
   
 Rei’s face stayed stern, but he looked away.  
   
 Nitori picked up his bowl. “Thank you for the food.”  
   
 Momotarou smiled. “Want more?”  
   
 “No, I’m good… Thanks.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 After dinner, Rin offered to help with the dishes and quickly washed them. By the time that was done, it was past seven thirty. Rei had offered him a room for the night since it got dark quite quickly in autumn, and with the spirits running rampant… Rin took the offer. He walked down the halls of the shrine and eventually entered the room at the end of the hall. He opened the sliding door and blinked when he saw Nitori.  
   
 Nitori was fluffing his pillows and placed them on the bed.  
   
 “Hey.” Rin stepped in. “You don’t have to.”  
   
 “Huh?” Nitori looked over his shoulder and smiled. “It’s quite alright, really; we have so many rooms and no guests so I don’t mind at all, Matsuoka.” He adjusted the blanket. “Plus, it… keeps me distracted.”  
   
 Rin cocked his head to the side. “Why?”  
   
 “You… brought a lot of heavy topics to the table.”  
   
 “Ah, yeah…”  
   
 “N-No!” Nitori turned around. “Unintentionally of course!” He bowed. “I didn’t mean to blame you, Matsuoka.”  
   
 “Uh, Rin,” he corrected in a mutter.  
   
 “Rin.” Nitori straightened his back but looked at his feet. “I’m glad we talked about the heavy topics, even if they were a little uncomfortable… I feel like I’ve gotten to know you better, and I’m glad I know you better now because you’re a nice guy…”  
   
 Rin frowned. “But?”  
   
 Nitori fidgeted. “Nagisa was…” Nitori noticed Rin’s face pale and cold panged in his stomach. “Nagisa, grew up at this shrine… He was one of the few from The Eye who stayed here… The Mahō formed under Chiyo Hazuki, Nagisa’s… grandmother.”  
   
 Rin froze.  
   
 Nitori let out another breath. “He was a close friend of ours… It’s been a long time since the whole thing, so we’ve mostly… come to terms, but…”  
   
 Rin put a hand over his mouth, feeling bile lick at his throat.  
   
 “Rei actually… had a bit of a thing with Nagisa too. They never got serious, but I think Rei was waiting because of the age difference, I think, at least. Rei was going to wait until he was older, but…” Nitori sighed. “I’m sorry… I’m not trying to make you feel bad, I just, I think you should know, and maybe you should talk to Rei… because even if it’s been a year since, you know, I don’t think Rei…”  
   
 “U-Uh…” Rin looked away. “No way… there’s, there’s nothing I could say that can make it better.”  
   
 Nitori closed his eyes. “Please?”  
   
 Rin rubbed the back of his head. The guilt was thick in his stomach, swirling with nausea, but, “I just can’t. I can’t… I don’t want to think about it, let alone…” He put his hands against his face. “You weren’t there, okay? Just don’t judge me for it.”  
   
 “R-Rin.” Nitori puffed out his chest and let his hands ball into fists. “Please. Momotarou and I… we can’t really talk to him about this. At all. You have your, reservations, and I’m sorry I’m pushing you but please, Matsuoka… He might refuse to work with you otherwise and we need Rei for this.”  
   
 Rin let out a huff of air and put his hands down. “I can… try?”  
   
 Nitori relaxed and bowed again. “Thank you.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin didn’t know if he could help, Rin didn’t know if he would make things worse; but, above all else, he wanted to try. He remembered Nagisa mentioning a crush he had several times, back home, and Rin had never thought…  
   
 He walked out to the courtyard and felt the night air on his skin. He saw Rei, still in his business suit, with a lit cigarette at his mouth, the end flaring red in the night as the man sucked in.  
   
 “Hey.”  
   
 Rei blew out a puff away from Rin and looked over. “Hello.”  
   
 “Um…” Rin looked at his feet.  
   
 “Nagisa?”  
   
 “Y-Yeah… He was, I mean, he used to… live here?”  
   
 “Yes.” Rei looked up at the sky. “Did you come to apologise? To put your conscience to rest? I thought you would.”  
   
 “N-No.” Rin kept his head high. He had to force himself to be firm, even if it broke everything he had in his core. “I… I don’t regret what I did; and, if you’re expecting me to apologise for it, I won’t.”  
   
 Rei’s jaw tightened.  
   
 “I hate what I did,” Rin clarified, “But… I don’t regret it. By the time we had to d-deal with Nagisa…” His eyes watered as he swallowed hard. “By the time, we… His mind was… He lost all semblance of, just, who he… His spirit was corrupt beyond saving.” Rin glanced up to the sky as well. “I do… I do kind of regret not killing him when we had the chance… There was no, no turning back. We knew it, but we held onto the idea that we could cure… If we had been stronger… he wouldn’t have had to suffer…”  
   
 Rei’s hands were shaking as he brought the cigarette to his mouth. “You,” he said before puffing smoke out, “Sound like you cared about him?”  
   
 “He was family.” Rin bit his lip. “Not biologically, but he was Kou’s age—that’s my sister—so I kind of always saw him as a little brother. He’d bounce around, happy as fuck, and he always made sure we were happy too. I hate what I did, and I don’t think I should be honoured for it, but I don’t regret it because I know I didn’t have a choice, Rei. You have to believe me.”  
   
 “I believe you.”  
   
 “Huh?”  
   
 Rei dropped the cigarette on the floor and crushed it with his heel.  
   
 Rin, not knowing the man very long, still felt like that was an unnatural thing for him to do.  
   
 “I can calculate that you have a good moral compass, Rin. From what I’ve seen at least. It… makes it easier, to know you didn’t take pleasure in what you did. I had always figured the witches were cruel in his punishment.” Rei made eye contact with him. “Nagisa and I were always, close, in one sense of the word. I’m seven years older than him, but I always figured I’d wait until he was eighteen before entering a relationship with him… The international age of consent is sixteen, but I wanted to wait until he was a proper adult.”  
   
 Rin ran a hand through his hair.  
   
 “I lost my chance.” Rei stared off into the horizon. “He had turned eighteen, then that happened.”  
   
 “I…” Rin opened his mouth, but no other words came.  
   
 “It’s alright. If I can ask… how did the others feel about what they did?”  
   
 “O-Oh… well, Makoto gets sick when we talk about it. He still cries when he thinks about it. And I don’t just mean sniffle, I mean he just has a full-out breakdown… Haru, uh, I don’t know. Whenever I try to talk about it, he just ends the discussion there; it’s not a topic of conversation with him, at all. Sousuke… well, he just got up and left The Eye after the ceremony.”  
   
 Rei raised an eyebrow. “Really?”  
   
 “We, we knew Nagisa too… a-and I don’t mean we were just friends, we knew him. We knew him when he was the quiet little thing he was, had bruises from the older kids… he used to flinch if you looked at him. We saw him open up and, damn, when he started smiling he never stopped. He was so fucking sweet, too. Always trying to make everyone else smile.”  
   
 “And, if I can ask… how did you get to know him?”  
   
 “Well, uh, he was three years younger than me, five years younger than the rest of our team. They added him to our team one day; and, because of the age difference, and experience difference, I honestly thought we’d kick him out but he kept up with the rest of us and ended up being more than just, like, valuable. He was a member of our team, and a good friend.”  
   
 “Your, team?”  
   
 “Mm, yeah. It was during the war… War’s always have so much blood and chaos and death… the amount of spirits who don’t pass on to the next life properly is horrifying. Witches don’t intervene in human wars, but The Eye has to clean up the paranormal mess. The anger in these spirits made them turn into horrifying things…” Rin soured. “And of course, chrysalises also formed.”  
   
 Rei nodded once. “Yes, he told us about that… So they are real?”  
   
 “They’re real. Yeah… Whenever we had more than a week off, Nagi said he was going to visit his family. I always found that weird since we found out he didn’t have any biological relatives.”  
   
 “He… called us his family?”  
   
 “Mhm.” Rin smiled. “He called us his family too.”  
   
 Rei smiled at that. “As long as he’s not suffering anymore…”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
 “Goodnight, Rin.” Rei turned. “Thank you for the talk.”  
   
 Rin swallowed hard and nodded. “Y-Yeah.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin had slipped out of his clothes, which Nitori had offered to wash, and ended up in only a pair of black boxers, loose and breezy. He slipped into his bed and was about to turn off the lights when the sliding door opened. A red blur bounced on his bed, landed in his lap, and Rin jerked back. “Off.”  
   
 Momotarou pouted.  
   
 Rin frowned. “Off.”  
   
 “Okay okay…” Momotarou scooted off his lap and moved to the edge of his bed. “Could you… explain something to me?”  
   
 “Eh?”  
   
 “Psions…”  
   
 Rin stared.  
   
 “I don’t know much about The Eye,” Momotarou admitted, “And I don’t know anyone who wants to talk about it, but if I’m Ai’s best friend, I should know, right?—I need to help keep him safe, and shit like that.”  
   
 Rin let out a sigh. “Too many heavy topics today.”  
   
 “One more! Please…”  
   
 “Fine.” Rin rubbed his forehead. “Okay, so… psions pretty much go crazy… Um, so like, you know the four sides of magic? There’s elemental, which is fire and water and wind and shit like that, and usually somebody has a specialty, like mine is fire.”  
   
 “Right, yeah. Like Rei.”  
   
 “Mhm, sure, whatever. Anyway, then there’s shade, which is light and dark magic. Usually most of those guys specialise in one and can’t cast the other.”  
   
 “Yeah, I know this. Then there’s support, which is what I am: Shields, restoration, and sensory.”  
   
 “Mhm.” Rin nodded. “The fourth magic type is psionic, or psychic, or whatever. Psions… They’re a really small percentage of witches, pretty much lower than one percent. The problem is…” Rin looked away. “Most of those end up being psychopaths, sociopaths, mass murderers… “  
   
 Momotarou frowned. “But Nitori’s not.”  
   
 “No, he isn’t.” Rin bit his lip. “There’s been a lot of debate of nature versus nurture, those kind of shitty arguments, but no psion has been able to fully control themselves… at least, none The Eye knows of… Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if the High Council was withholding info about it.”  
   
 “But…” Momotarou ran his hands through his hair. “But that’s… so weird. Nitori’s just fine! What if… what if Nitori could help others, though? Like your sister.”  
   
 Rin shook his head. “Even if Nitori approaches The Eye with the cure we’ve been looking for, there’s no promise they’re going to be smart enough to take it. Years of fucking prejudice just piling on top of each other..”  
   
 “Huh.” Momotarou nodded.  
   
 “Yeah… Anything else I can help you with, kid?”  
   
 “Hmm… No. So, wanna fuck?”  
   
 “What?”  
   
 “Wanna fuck?”  
   
 “How about you get the _fuck_ out?”  
   
 “Worth a shot.” Momotarou stepped out of the room then turned his head. “Ai, he won’t fuck me.”  
   
 Rin scoffed and was about to look away, but he saw a psionic blast throw Momotarou to the side. He blinked.  
   
 Nitori appeared between the open doors and looked at him. “Goodnight, Rin.”  
   
 “Uh… night.”  
   
 “We’ll start investigating tomorrow, so get plenty of sleep.”  
   
 “Yeah, you too bud.”  
   
 Nitori smiled before closing the doors.  
   
 Rin put his hand to the wall and dimmed the lights. He put his head back on the pillow then put his hands behind his head. “So, we start tomorrow, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter's a bit of an info-dump, sorry; but the next one will make up for it! Also, thank you for all the lovely comments so far. <3


	5. Habit

 Rin had always had trouble sleeping in unknown beds and rooms; but, with how exhausted he was, he passed out with ease. Score. When morning came, Rin stepped in the provided shower and twisted the knob, letting the steaming water run over him. His head was down, eyes staring at his feet. He kept having thoughts, thoughts he didn’t want to have, but he had them, and he knew there was nothing he could do about them. He shook his head, a vain attempt to shake away the thoughts. He grabbed the bottle of shampoo and followed it up with the soap and then rinsed.  
    
 When he stepped out of the shower, he shivered from the cold breeze on his heated muscles, but he yanked a white towel and dried himself off. He wrapped it around his waist, to hide his manparts, and walked down the hall to his room.  
    
 Well, the room he was borrowing…  
    
 He stepped in and got dressed. He was slinging his light blue belt around his black cargo pants when he heard a knock against the wooden section of the sliding door. “Yeah?”  
    
 It was Nitori: “Can I come in?”  
    
 “Yeah, sure.”  
    
 The sliding door opened, but Nitori’s next sentence died on his lips. His blue eyes looked at Rin’s back; his eyes trailed the curve of the black tattoo on his back, a tribal stylisation of a Chinese dragon running down his left shoulder blade.  
    
 Rin cocked his head to glance behind him.  
    
 As soon as eye contact was made, Nitori jumped and sputtered, “B-Breakfast.”  
    
 Rin snickered. “Breakfast?”  
    
 “I mean um hi uh, breakfast will be ready soon.” Nitori bowed, mostly to keep his eyes off Rin. “Please come s-soon.”  
    
 “Okay, sure.” Rin turned and whipped his shirt to straighten it out. “So, see anything you like?”  
    
 Nitori took a step back and slammed the door shut.  
    
 Rin snickered. “Cute.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “Here!” Momotarou put the plate in front of him.  
    
 “Thanks.” Rin dipped his head. It was a basic omelette, overloaded with mushrooms, bacon bits, white cheddar, and red peppers. “Looks great.”  
    
 Momotarou grinned and then took his seat across from Rin.  
    
 Rei was sitting next to Momotarou, like the night before, mostly focused on his own plate. But at one point he wiped a napkin against his lips and looked up. “How much do you know about the city?”  
    
 “I’ve done my homework… Well, okay, I had someone do it for me,” Rin admitted, “But he’s good at collecting information. I’ve… sec.” He tapped his pockets to find his phone then pulled it out. “He forwarded a lot to me so, yeah.” He flipped it open, noticing a message from Makoto but figured he’d wait. “Apparently this city is a prime spots for spirits, mostly due to a lack of registered witches, right?”  
    
 Rei nodded. “We have many ley lines running through here.”  
    
 “The Eye,” Nitori sighed. “Has decided not to put outposts out here.”  
    
 Rei nodded again. “As I said before, they gave us an ultimatum of be controlled or crumble.”  
    
 “Well.” Rin rolled his eyes. “That does sound like them. They’ve always been assholes, but things have been getting better.”  
    
 “Yes, they have,” Rei agreed. “Especially with the new Iris.”  
    
 “Iris?” Momotarou looked up. “What’s that?”  
    
 “The Leader of The Eye, the Iris.” Nitori frowned. “We talked about this.”  
    
 “Oh, right, yeah we did.”  
    
 Nitori looked at his plate which he hadn’t touched. “Do you think… the new Iris has a different view on psions?”  
    
 “Yeah,” Rin said simply. “But that doesn’t mean the rest of the High Council does. Maybe in time, but…”  
    
 “Yeah.” Nitori nodded, understanding.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “What!?” Momotarou dropped onto the floor and curled up.  
    
 Nitori sighed. “We all have our strengths and our weaknesses.”  
    
 Momotarou sniffled and started crying.  
    
 Rei looked at Rin who was more than a little confused. “You’re replacing Momotarou as Nitori’s partner.”  
    
 “Cool.” Rin scratched the back of his head. “So what’s the plan? The usual go into the city, try to isolate spirits?”  
    
 “Well, yes, but the city also needs a clean-up.” Nitori looked down at his feet. “An average city with this population would have ten registered witches, but with the current circumstances, I’m pretty much alone on this.”  
    
 Rin frowned. “But the graph didn’t seem too bad… I mean, the uh, activity graph.”  
    
 Rei crossed his arms. “That’s…”  
    
 Momotarou stood up. “It’s hiding things.”  
    
 Nitori bit his lip. “We don’t know why it’s doing that, but the most obvious explanation is a suppression aura. It’s… eally it’s a lot worse than it looks.”  
    
 “So…” Rin frowned. “Okay, but the graph was on the rise, in an incline. Is that because the suppression aura is getting weaker, or?”  
    
 Nitori shook his head. “It’s because the problem is getting worse.”  
    
 “Hm… Okay. So I guess you’ll have to give me the rundown.”  
    
 Nitori smiled. “We can walk and talk, Rin.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 They took the bus and sat near the back of the tram. Luckily there wasn’t anyone else on the vehicle, so they could talk openly about it all.  
    
 “Spirits are getting corrupted,” Nitori muttered. “Sometimes, like yesterday, when wandering… or sometimes they’re corrupted as they’re killed.” He rubbed his arm. “Which means the body is between life and death, and the only way to save them is, obviously…”  
    
 “To kill them.”  
    
 Nitori looked down at his lap. “I’ve had to kill people.”  
    
 “No.”  
    
 He looked up. “Huh?”  
    
 “You’re not killing anyone.” Rin looked out the window. “I know you’re the one that has to do the ‘killing blow’, you’re the one that has to commit the deed, right? But it’s not your fault. You’re doing what you have to do because you have to do it. It’s as simple as that. If there was another way, another option—you’d take it, right?”  
    
 “Well, of course I w-would…”  
    
 “Then that’s it.” Rin shrugged. “You’re not a murderer. Blaming yourself for what you’re doing is just dumb… There’s someone or something out there corrupting spirits, right? There has to be. That person’s the one to blame.”  
    
 Nitori squeezed his arm and gave a small nod.  
    
 Rin opened his mouth to speak, but a sound cut him off.   
   
 It was his ringtone.  
   
 Rin pulled out his phone and flipped it open. Seeing a video call request, he hit the button and smirked. “Yo.”  
    
 “Oh, hi.” Makoto gave his mother-hen frown. “Are you dead?”  
    
 “Huh?”  
    
 “You didn’t call or leave a message!” Makoto pouted. “You just went off to the shrine thing and never came back.”  
    
 Rin used his free hand to rub the back of his head. “Sorry.”  
    
 “You should be!”  
    
 Nitori looked over at the phone then to Rin. “A friend?”  
    
 “Huh?” Rin remembered he was there. “Oh yeah, this is Makoto. He’s been helping me with the investigation so far. Makoto, this is Nitori; Nitori, Makoto.”  
    
 Nitori waved.  
    
 Makoto would have waved back, but one of his cats jumped at him and he quickly picked it up. Before he could say anything, the other seven cats made their way into his lap and he started petting all of them.  
    
 Rin rolled his eyes while Nitori ‘awww’d.  
    
 Makoto remembered he was in a call and looked up. “Hi! So, you’re safe and everything?”  
    
 “Yep.” Rin nodded. “Nitori’s from the shrine, so I’m basically going to be working with them.”  
    
 “Great!” Makoto smiled. “It’s too big of a thing to do alone. So if you’re tracking the spirits, I’ve managed to run a relapse diagnostic on the area, piled it with past statistics, and calculated it with future projections based on the current platform, and I have managed to find a couple spots that need help, but I’ve run into some trouble too.”  
    
 “There’s a suppression aura,” Rin explained.  
    
 Makoto paused. “Ohhh.” He grabbed his tablet and had to hold it a couple inches above his lap because of the cats claiming their territory. “Do you know what kind?”  
    
 “We believe it is support-based,” Nitori said. “It’s one of the weak and unnoticeable ones, but we detected traces of the spell several months ago… I don’t know how long it’s been in the area, but it most likely has permanence.”  
    
 Makoto pursed his lips. “If the aura’s developed permanence then there would have been no way for me to catch it… Okay, I’ll forward you what I have now, then add what you’ve told me to my analysis then forward you more data files. Sound good?”  
    
 “Sounds great.” Rin smiled. “Thanks, Makoto.”  
    
 “You’re welcome!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “He seems like a nice guy,” Nitori said as they turned the corner. He had his own phone open with a 3D map declaring certain points as high in spirit activity. “He’s actually pretty good, too. For someone who’s never been to the city, he already knows where everything is.”  
    
 Rin raised a red eyebrow. “Really?”  
    
 “Yeah, he’s sending us to one of the parts of town that’s really poor… It’s not the poorest, but it has the highest crime rate.” Nitori bit his lip. “I’ve noticed a lot of hostility in the spirits, so be prepared for anything, okay?”  
    
 Rin tapped his pocket and made sure he had his vial of spores. “A’ight.”  
    
 Nitori closed his phone after they took a right. “There are a lot of alleys here, so we can find the wanderers.”  
    
 “Oh.” Rin turned to him. “About that… When I tried to search for a wanderer, the light just burst? I don’t know if I fucked up or something, but…”  
    
 Nitori blinked and stopped walking. “It burst?” He looked left and right to make sure no one was around.  
    
 Rin held his hand out. “Yeah, like.” He said his chant out loud: “Guide me to a wanderer.” His hand sparkled and he mentally repeated the chant.  
    
 ‘ _Guide me to a wanderer._ ’  
    
 The light gathered and became a sphere. It whisked left and whirled right before going up and breaking into five lights.  
    
 “See?”  
    
 Nitori’s lips tugged into a sad smile. “Yeah, that’s… that’s because there’s too many wanderers. It’s like telling a spell to find a bone in a city of undead. It’s just, everywhere. It doesn’t know what to do.” He held his own hand out and closed his eyes. “Guide me to the _nearest_ wanderer.”  
    
 Speckles of light collected in his palm.  
    
 Rin didn’t have to ask to know Nitori was repeating the chant in his mind.  
    
 The light was softer in Nitori’s palm before it rose to Nitori’s eye level.  
    
 Nitori opened his eyes. “Guide me.”  
    
 The light moved at a slow rate and the two of them had no trouble following it. Invisible to others, the sphere of light turned onto the main road and past several shops. Rin looked around the city, noticing all the dust and grime and cracks in the sidewalk. Most of the shops they passed were closed, and he felt a sick feeling in his gut when the light turned into an alleyway.  
    
 Nitori closed his eyes.  
    
 Rin held back the nausea.  
    
 A corpse of a teen, probably no older than seventeen, was leaning against the wall on the alleyway. In his hand was a needle, which was still connected to his arm. Purple-blue fire hovered in front of him, and an identical figure—transparent to witches and invisible to normal humans—was staring at his own corpse.  
    
 Nitori eventually forced himself to take a step forward. “H-Hi.”  
    
 The teenager turned to them, eyes wide.  
    
 Rin bit his lip, looking at the corpse, then the spirit. “Yeah, we can see you.”  
    
 The teenager grinned. “You can help me!”  
    
 Nitori shook his head. “We can’t bring you back to life, but it’s okay. We can take the pain away.”  
    
 Rin tucked some of his hair behind his ear and nodded.  
    
 The spirit looked at his own corpse again. “What’s the point? I lost my mom, my dad, my sister… all of us have to die, don’t we?”  
    
 “Life’s not fair, kid, but,” Rin forced himself to smile, “You can join them.”  
    
 The fire surrounding the spirit cooled to a blue.  
    
 Nitori pointed up. “Do you see it?”  
    
 Rin looked up to the sky. He couldn’t see it, but he knew it was there. Hanging above Earth, the afterlife. Only when breathing in the essence of the dead could a witch see the afterlife. But it was easier to just pretend. “Your family’s there. We can send you there.”  
    
 “It won’t hurt,” Nitori added. “Please. Let us help.”  
    
 The teenager looked at his corpse again and sighed. “I guess I can’t really do anything here, huh?” He swallowed hard. “Okay.”  
    
 Nitori walked up to the spirit and put his hands on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and eased the lines between the boy’s spirit essence.  
    
 Apoptosis.  
    
 The blue fire evaporated and the soul shot towards the sky.  
    
 Nitori watched it leave his sight and then turned to the corpse.  
    
 “Leave it.” Rin shook his head. “Nothing we can do.”  
    
 “I know it’s obvious how he died, but… maybe there’s more to it. Might have some evidence.” Nitori kneeled down and noticed the boy’s skin had turned purple-grey and waxy, but there was a greenish-blue tint around the head and neck. “He’s been dead for a little more than a day…” He stood up and shook his head. “No. Natural death.”  
    
 “This happen often here? Kids fucking overdosing?”  
    
 Nitori turned away from the body and walked towards Rin. “Yeah.”  
    
 Rin expected a more snarky response, but the reality set in quick.  
    
 Nitori was more than happy to step back into properly smelling streets. “The problem is the clean-up… it’s getting in the way of the investigation, since we’re literally pulling the work of ten…” he looked around. “Witches.”  
    
 Rin bit his lip. “Well this is going to be fun.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “How did you die?”  
    
 The woman kept trying to grab the gun on her corpse, but her phantasmal fingers slipped through matter every time she tried. The aura of her spirit energy, the blue fire, began to warm up to a purple. She kept trying to grab the handgun, and started screaming.  
    
 Nitori and Rin shared a look.  
    
 “Don’t!” she yelled, “Don’t ask so many questions!”  
    
 Rin tensed. “She’ll go through Necrosis at this rate…” He reached in his pocket for some kind of reagent but remembered he hadn’t brought his side bag.  
    
 Nitori noticed what Rin was doing and opened the small bag tied to his outer thigh. “What do you need?”  
    
 “Thread.”  
    
 Nitori searched for it and grabbed a spindle; it was a top-whorl drop spindle, the kinds that looked a bit like a cotton candy on a stick. He tossed it at Rin.  
    
 Rin caught it and unwove the white thread.  
    
 ‘ _Stabilise and drain the wretched,_ ’  
    
 The white thread raised its ‘head’ like a snake before darting forward, wrapping around the woman. The thread was coated by the purple fire, which was now tinting to red, and it burned along the line, making its way to the spindle.  
    
 ‘ _Drain her pain._ ’  
    
 Rin put his hand on the thread and the purple fire flared against his knuckles. He winced, closing one eye, and grunted.  
    
 ‘ _Guard me!_ ’  
    
 “Rin!” Nitori shouted.  
    
 Rin ignored it, taking the flare for as long as he can. He cringed and felt his stomach twist into a knot before he snapped the cord.  
    
 The thread around the spirit burned away, and her essence chilled to a blue. She dropped to her knees and breathed slowly.  
    
 “Hey…” Rin coughed, one eye still closed. “You… We’ve already told you. You’re dead… I’m sorry, okay? You can’t do anything about that… but, if you want to do something good, we need your help.”  
    
 The woman turned to him.  
    
 Nitori nodded. “We need to know how you died.”  
    
 She looked at her corpse and shook her head. “I don’t know. I was just… walking, and then everything changed. I was like… pulled out of my body.”  
    
 Nitori looked at Rin.  
    
 Rin opened his other eye and shook his hand to ward off the pain. “You didn’t see who did it?”  
    
 “I heard… footsteps behind me.” She cringed. “But, I didn’t think they would…”  
    
 Nitori forced a smile. “It’s okay. No one expects it.”  
    
 “Are you guys… angels?”  
    
 Rin had to hold back a laugh. “Yeah. That’s exactly what we are.” Anything to get her to cooperate.  
    
 She nodded. “He was a man, I think. I’m sorry… I don’t know. I can’t help.”  
    
 “No, no.” Nitori walked over to her and kneeled down. “You’ve already helped us out a ton.”  
    
 “R-Really?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Nitori nodded. “Are you ready to go to the next life now?”  
    
 “Will I… go to heaven?” Her eyes widened. “Or will I go to hell?”  
    
 “Don’t worry.” Nitori smiled. “There’s only one afterlife—depending on how good you are, you might be closer to the inner circle, but you’re not stuck anywhere. You’ll be happy there, I promise.”  
    
 Her face softened.  
    
 Apoptosis.  
    
 The blue spirit fire dispersed and her soul shot up to the sky.  
    
 Nitori watched her go and then turned to Rin. “How’s your hand?”  
    
 Rin showed off the back of his hand. “Not even singed.”  
    
 “Wow!” Nitori ran up to him and grabbed it. “How did you do that?”  
    
 Rin laughed. “Don’t get me wrong, it hurt, but nothing permanent. I just used the white of your thread to create a barrier.”  
    
 Nitori blinked. “That’s… so cool!”  
    
 Rin scoffed and looked away, cheeks warming slightly. “Nah, incantations are just my thing.”  
    
 “B-But…” Nitori squeezed Rin’s hand. “You performed an incantation during another incantation, and you held them both at the same time.”  
    
 “I’m just good at rituals.” He pulled his hand away from Nitori and lifted it. He put his hand on Nitori’s head and ruffled the grey hair. “Thanks for this, by the way.” He offered the spindle.  
    
 Nitori’s face warmed from the head pat, but he took the spindle and put it back in his satchel. “Y-You’re welcome.”  
    
 “The body,” Rin reminded him.  
    
 “R-Right.” Nitori walked over and looked at it. Smelled fine, a fresh kill. “Do you think it was a grip?”  
    
 “Hmm, probably.” Rin leaned down and examined the corpse, on her front. Rin tapped his finger on the back of her head and felt the scalp. “Yeah, there’s spirit residue leaking out.” He couldn’t see it, but the small stream of ‘air’ against his finger. “Hm… looks like it was a physical grip.”  
    
 “Physical?” Nitori leaned down. “Oh, you mean he had to make contact with her?”  
    
 “He or she,” he corrected, “Or they, or whatever, we don’t know yet… But yeah, a spirit grip is hard as fuck to pull off. Literally yanking someone’s spirit out of their body from far away isn’t easy, so most people use a complex ritual for it. If you don’t have time for a ritual, physical contact can serve in its place… But only a few people can do grips, let alone one with only physical contact.”  
    
 “So the person we’re up against…”  
    
 “Yeah, he’s not someone we should be fucking around with.” Rin bit his lip with his sharp teeth. “We might be in over our heads here.”  
    
 “But…” Nitori frowned. “Someone still has to do it, right?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 “Then I’ll do it.” Nitori straightened his spine. “Even if, even if…” He took a deep breath. “Even if it takes my life away, I’d rather save people then do nothing with my life.”  
    
 Rin pursed his lips. “That’s really noble of you and all, but don’t forget… the monsters he can make out of human spirits are destructive as fuck. Yesterday, he brought four together and we barely made it. The spirit of a witch is ten times stronger than a human, so if you get killed by this fucker… you’re going to unleash hell. Don’t throw your life away, no matter what. It’s better to watch ten people die than be the reason forty do.”  
    
 Nitori stiffened and grabbed his arm.  
    
 Rin stood up as well and looked away. “Sorry.”  
    
 Nitori just looked at the ground.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 They hadn’t spoken in some time. They continued their investigation; most of the spirits they found were from natural causes, but another one was like the woman (most likely killed by the witch in question) although that person wasn’t helpful. There were some cases where it was impossible to tell. Others were just too willing to move on to answer any questions.  
    
 ‘ _Guide me to the nearest wanderer._ ’  
    
 The light shimmered in Rin’s hand and flew forward.  
    
 Rin and Nitori chased it.  
    
 It zoomed around a corner and went inside a house.  
    
 Rin and Nitori paused.  
    
 It was a two-storey building with creaking wood floors, broken windows, covered in dust, complete with skittering termites, rodents, arachnids and who knew what else.  
    
 Nitori paled at the thought of going inside; but, when Rin went in, he followed.  
    
 Rin opened his hand and a rune of fire lit up the dark room. It smelled dank and musty, but he kept going inside. The light was waiting for them, and when they came close it guided them up the stairs. Rin tested the steps, applying pressure to each one and deeming them safe before he walked up. When he got to the top, he felt something on his arm.  
    
 Nitori clutched onto him.  
    
 Rin said nothing and followed the golden sphere to the spirit. When they stepped into the next room, sunlight peered through a shattered window, so Rin closed his hand, extinguishing the fire.  
    
 A man around the age of forty was curled up in the fetal position in the middle of the room.  
    
 Nitori let go of Rin and walked over. He kneeled down and smiled. “Hi.”  
    
 The man scooted back on his bum until he hit the wall. “Y-You c-can see me?”  
    
 “Yeah,” Nitori said slowly. “It’s okay; we’re here to help.”  
    
 “You can see me…” He smiled. “So I can…” He opened his hand and the blue fire forged a knife. “Hurt you.”  
    
 Nitori’s eye widened and he tried to back away, but the spirit knife slashed his shoulder.  
    
 Rin whipped his hand, blasting a bolt of fire across the room.  
    
 The spirit screamed when it slammed him into the wall again.  
    
 Nitori took several steps back and grabbed his shoulder. Feeling his warm blood trickle onto his fingers, he took a deep breath and looked back to the spirit. He closed his eyes and opened his mind. Four purple squares, as tall as Nitori himself, circled around the spirit before locking together in a tremor, caging him.  
    
 The spirit tried slashing at the force shields with his knife, but nothing happened.  
    
 Rin put his hands together and four white crystals appeared around him. They shattered into dust and collected between his hands. “Banish!” he yelled before firing a white ray of energy.  
    
 Nitori broke one of the four walls just in time for the ray to pierce the spirit.  
    
 The spirit dropped to its knees.  
    
 Rin cocked his head and walked over. He grabbed his chin and lifted his head up. “Oy. Fucker. You don’t deserve it, but rest in peace.”  
    
 Nitori watched Rin send off the spirit and then opened his pack. He pulled out a white cloth, a small bottle of liquid, and bandages.  
    
  Rin came back and lifted Nitori’s sleeve to reveal the cut. “Let me help.”  
    
 “Th-Thanks.” Nitori handed them to Rin.  
    
 Rin took the bottle and opened the top. “Saline solution?”  
    
 “Infused with sage.”  
    
 Rin nodded and poured some on the cloth. He wiped the wound with the cloth, disinfecting it from infection with the salt water and removing the spirit residue with the herb, sage.  
    
 Nitori took the cloth and the bottle and traded it for the bandages.  
    
 “Does it hurt?” Rin asked as he wove the bandage around his arm.  
    
 “Y-Yeah,” Nitori admitted. “I-I’m just, trying not to think about it.”  
    
 Rin nodded and then used his sharp teeth to tear the bandage. He smoothed the end of it on and then leaned in, placing a small kiss.  
    
 Nitori stared.  
    
 It wasn’t until Rin looked at him that his eyes widened. “Sh-Shut up!”  
    
 Nitori’s cheeks warmed and he smiled. “That was kind of cute…”  
    
 “I-It was habit, okay!?” Rin stood up and huffed. “Shut up. Shut up, fuck you!”  
    
 Nitori chuckled and decided to pretend it never happened.


	6. Latte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been updating every two days... which means I should have updated on the sixth, but it's ten minutes past midnight. Oh well. Sorry about that~! And thank you guys so much for all the comments. They make me smile like you have no idea. <3
> 
> * * *

 A ring of purple energy spun around Nitori, glistening with runes and patterns. Nitori put his hands together and the circle squeezed inward; time and space bent in his mind and he threw his arms out. The ring burst into a blast-wave, erupting outwards, cracking the ground and cutting through the fire.  
   
 Rin created a barrier right away; but, for whatever reason, the blast-wave ignored it. It eased through him and obliterated the two spirits.  
   
 It didn’t take them long to send them off to the higher plane.  
   
 Rin’s fingers threaded through his red hair and he looked at Nitori. “Nice one.”  
   
 Nitori dipped his head. “You’re welcome, Matsuoka-san. I’m only, evening the score.”  
   
 Rin pushed his back against the wall of the dingy alley and glanced to the bodies. “That was our seventh today, wasn’t it?”  
   
 Nitori shook his head. “Seventh, and eighth.” He kneeled down and examined the corpses. He ran his hand over one of their shoulders and felt the stream of air. “More grips…” His fingers shimmered with a black light, erasing any evidence of fingerprints, as he tilted one of their heads to examine their neck. “They’ve been dead for about a day. Little less.”  
   
 “How the fuck can this witch do that many grips in one day?”  
   
 “Do you think… there are multiple witches?”  
   
 “Maybe.” Rin crossed his arms. He looked up and heard a rumble. “Might rain…” He looked back to Nitori. “So, how many spirits do you usually deal with a day?”  
   
 “I try for about fifteen a week,” Nitori admitted. He stood up and dusted his knees. “That used to keep the city relatively safe, but—”  
   
 A beep cut him off.  
   
 Rin grabbed his phone and pulled it out of his pocket. He flipped it open and frowned.  
   
 Nitori cocked his head. “What is it?”  
   
 “It’s Makoto.” Rin read the message. “He says the graph is going down.”  
   
 Nitori raised his hands up and closed his eyes, as if he were trying to feel the rain. He frowned. “The aura’s weakening too, I think…”  
   
 Rin reread Makoto’s message. “So you know that means one of two things. Either we’re doing a really good clean-up job, or…”  
   
 “Or they know we’re here.” Nitori opened his eyes. “They’re trying to throw us off.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin pushed himself off the wall. “I don’t know much about suppression auras, but that affects the caster too, right? So if they’re weakening the suppression aura, we’re stronger and so are they.”  
   
 Nitori put his hands down and the sky rumbled. “None of these spirits were that helpful, but we still got some information… Maybe it’s best we go over what we’ve learned before continuing.”  
   
 “Mhm… Then we can forward that to Makoto and he’ll probably figure something out. We can head back to my place if you want. I’ve got reagents and my laptop can run ethereal diagnostics on the area.” Rin made a face. “But I don’t have any food, so… wanna get something to eat first?”  
   
 “Yes.” Nitori smiled. “I know a café on the nicer side of town; they have boosters, and one has ginseng.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Good, I need more spirit essence.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin was… fairly impressed.  
   
 It was an old-style coffee shop, with a grinder and actual coffee beans. The floors, walls, and ceilings were all made of smooth, black-walnut wood (engineered wood, Rin assumed), but the tables were digital black screens. They had a display section for pastries and sandwiches, all made in-house, as well as a selection of whole leaves teas. There was also a cash register, but Rin knew it was only for decoration.  
   
 With the grinder being used, the warm smell of coffee blanketed the shop.  
   
 Nitori walked over to a semi-circular booth and took a seat.  
   
 Rin noticed the café was fairly empty (which wasn’t surprising at two in the afternoon), so he didn’t mind taking a booth. He tapped the table and the menu appeared on the screen.  
   
 “Check their specials,” Nitori said with a smile. “This place is known for their strawberry and sakura latte.”  
   
 Rin’s fingers twitched. “No.”  
   
 Nitori looked up. “Huh?”  
   
 “Just. Just no.” Rin rubbed his neck and looked away. “Just, you know, him…”  
   
 Nitori opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. He closed his mouth, promptly, and looked back at the menu. He swallowed hard, trying to think of something else. “They have specials for food too. The grilled saba sandwich is really good too.”  
   
 “Ugh.” Rin frowned and put both hands on his face.  
   
 Nitori tilted his head. “Not a fan of mackerel?”  
   
 “That also reminds me of someone…” Rin moved his hands away, but that’s when he felt someone looming over him.  
   
 A tall man, well built, crossed his arms and gave a coy smile. “And who would that remind you of?”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened. He practically shot out of his chair. “Sousuke!”  
   
 “Rin.” Sousuke offered a small smile.  
   
 Rin did something between a tackle and a hug as he wrapped his arms tight around him. “Captain!”  
   
 Sousuke chuckled, low and smooth, at the old nickname before he broke away. “What are you doing here?”  
   
 Rin backed away and rubbed the back of his head. “Could ask you the same thing, dumb ass!”  
   
 “Maybe.” He glanced over to Nitori. “Mind if I join you, or… is this, a date?”  
   
 “Shut up!” Rin took his seat again and scooted over to give Sousuke room in the booth. “It’s been a year and you’re still an asshole—I have no idea why I ever missed you.”  
   
 “You missed me?” Sousuke took his seat and glided Rin’s menu over to him before tapping the table and bringing up his own. He looked up and smiled. “Sousuke Yamazaki.”  
   
 “N-Nitori.” Nitori swallowed hard.  
   
 “You’re a witch,” Sousuke noted. “Are you with The Eye or Mahō?”  
   
 Nitori’s eyebrows shot up.  
   
 Rin frowned. “That’s… classified.”  
   
 “As if you’ve ever cared about classified.” Sousuke nudged Rin once. “I know Ryugazaki. I found a normal job in this town and decided to settle down… I made myself known to the witches in the area, in case they needed my help for anything.”  
   
 “Oh.” Rin smirked. “So you couldn’t give it up completely, huh?”  
   
 “Can any of us?”  
   
 Nitori forced a smile. “We couldn’t…”  
   
 “We see things,” Sousuke added, “That no one else can. We are what we are… Like most people, I was the kid of witches, so they made me a witch. I never decided it on my own. I want nothing to do with The Eye, but that doesn’t mean I can stop being a witch. In some ways, that means I have a responsibility, so I gave my name and number to the Mahō if worst came to worst.”  
   
 “You… loser.” Rin stared at his menu. “You’re always so… responsible.”  
   
 Sousuke graced him with a smile. “Sorry.”  
   
 Rin looked at Sousuke, then glanced to Nitori, then looked back at Sousuke. “We’re investigating an issue here.”  
   
 Nitori grabbed his own arm. “R-Rin.”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Rin ruffled Nitori’s hair. “We can trust him.”  
   
 Nitori breathed out slowly. “Okay.”  
   
 “Hm.” Sousuke rubbed his jaw. “I’m kind of… Sorry, but, I’m not interested.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened before he pouted.  
   
 Sousuke thought it was adorable but because he liked not bleeding he didn’t say anything. “So, you’ve met Ryugazaki, I take it?”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin’s lips pinched into a thin line. “Don’t change the subject.”  
   
 “Rei knew Nagisa.”  
   
 Rin cleared his throat.  
   
 “We all did.” Nitori nodded. “At the shrine.”  
   
 “We,” Rin breathed, “Haven’t ordered yet.”  
   
 “Right,” Nitori muttered.  
   
 The three of them tapped away on the screen. Rin went for a white chocolate mocha, with a ginseng boost, and a couple rice balls with barbecue eel filling. Nitori went for a raspberry latte, with a ginseng boost, and a seafood salad that came with octopus and grilled salmon and tuna. Sousuke settled for a cappuccino with extra foam and a turkey and brie sandwich.  
   
 With their orders set, they all leaned back.  
   
 Sousuke looked at Rin; he raised a finger and tapped his own eyebrow. “When did you get that?”  
   
 Rin looked up and then smiled. “A while ago. Was… three months after you left? Also.” He stuck his tongue out, showing his stud. “This one two, about a week later.”  
   
 “Mhm.” Sousuke rested his chin on his hand. “So… what’s making out with that like?”  
   
 Rin scoffed and crossed his arms, looking away.  
   
 Sousuke smirked and backed away as six rings appeared on the table, each one colour coded to order. The waiter put the drinks down first, then went back to get the food. “Thanks,” Sousuke muttered.  
   
 Rin didn’t say anything, but Nitori dipped his head.  
   
 “Rin.” Sousuke used a spoon to mix his foam with the cappuccino, flavouring it. The food came next, and Sousuke waited until the server was out of earshot. “I really… don’t want to get involved, but at the same time… I know you’re putting your life on the line fighting these things. And since your safety is at risk… if there’s something I can do, let me know.”  
   
 Rin chugged his mocha, not caring about the heat. “We’re just trying to find the source right now. We’re pretty much at the beginning… There’s just a lot of spirits out here. A lot of fighting, actually.”  
   
 Sousuke paused. “Really?”  
   
 Nitori nodded. “The spirits are really hostile… I don’t know why, because they’ve never been this hostile. But it’s not added hostility, I don’t think, a lot of the people we find are criminals or murderers too. Not all of them, but maybe our enemy is picking off people who will give us a hard time?”  
   
 “Or maybe he’s killing bad guys because he thinks he’s doing something right,” Sousuke offered. “Like some kind of… what do they call them, justicar? Witches who try to act for justice? Maybe they don’t know they leave the spirit and soul behind?”  
   
 “Hmmm.” Rin bit into one of his rice balls and chewed. “Maybe,” he said after swallowing, “But murder is still murder, even if it’s helping the world. Plus, a justicar doesn’t have to be a witch, just someone who goes around killing people… but then again the deaths are paranormal.”  
   
 Sousuke cocked his head. “You sure?”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Grips, most likely.”  
   
 Sousuke raised an eyebrow; it was obvious he didn’t believe it, but he didn’t say anything. He sipped his drink instead.  
   
 “There was…” Nitori’s dropped to the table. “A girl I had to take care of… she was only six, and trapped between life and death…”  
   
 “Why would a justicar kill a kid?” Rin frowned. “Doesn’t add up.”  
   
 “Well…” Sousuke thought about it. “A justicar is only someone who acts on their moral basis of justice. But maybe you’re right, scrap the idea. But unless this is a person who is killing randomly, there has to be a pattern to the deaths, right?”  
   
 Rin sipped his drink.  
   
 Nitori nodded. “Either way, we’re dealing with someone complex… and the sooner we figure things out, the better. Yamazaki-san, if you come across anything, will you let us know?”  
   
 Sousuke smiled. “Sure. I’ll do what I can to help.”  
   
 “Heh.” Rin grinned. “Well, good to have you on our side, Captain.”  
   
 Sousuke snorted before he sipped his cappuccino.  
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin added the contact to his phone and then closed it. “Thanks.”  
   
 Sousuke put his phone away and glanced to the ground. “You can give my number to your friend, in case he needs me, but… Promise me you won’t give it to Makoto, or Haruka.”  
   
 Rin blinked, but nodded.  
   
 The two of them were standing alone on the street, right outside the café. Nitori had gone to the tea shop across the street.  
   
 “Hey.” Rin squeezed his phone. “Can you, keep a secret? About, Nitori?”  
   
 Sousuke ran a hand through Rin’s hair. “You know it.”  
   
 Rin cocked his head to the side and slapped the hand away. “Stop that!” His cheeks warmed. “Little shit.”  
   
 “Hm. You’re blushing, RinRin.”  
   
 Rin kicked his shin.  
   
 “Ouch!” Sousuke dropped to one knee and laughed. “Guess I deserve that, huh?”  
   
 “Mhm.” Rin crossed his arms. “Dickwad asshole.”  
   
 Sousuke stood up again and winced at the pain. “So, what’s the secret?”  
   
 “Oh.” Rin sobered up. He swallowed hard. “He’s… a psion.”  
   
 “What?” Sousuke’s eyes widened. “And you’re working with him?”  
   
 “He’s functional, Sousuke.”  
   
 “That’s not good enough!”  
   
 “No, he’s… _fully_ functional.” Rin expected Sousuke to yell at him, but shocked silenced was the only reply. “I mean it. He’s, totally okay.”  
   
 “What?”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
 “But, how?”  
   
 “I don’t know.”  
   
 “Rin…”  
   
 “Look, I know what you’re going to say, okay? But I need to know. I need to know if he’s as good as he says… because if there is a chance for him, then… then, there might be a chance for Gou.”  
   
 Sousuke closed his eyes. “Give up on Kou getting ‘better’.”  
   
 “Wh-What?”  
   
 “She’s happy, and she’s safe. You can visit her whenever you want.” He grabbed Rin’s collar and tugged him up. “She has the best life she can ask for… Don’t do this to yourself, damnit! Every time, every damn time you get up in this thought that she’ll leave the facility, that she’ll have a normal life. And every damn time you have to realise it’s not going to happen; and, even if it does, who says she actually wants it?”  
   
 “She…” Rin grabbed Sousuke’s arm. “She deserves the fucking choice.”  
   
 Sousuke’s grip loosened.  
   
 “She deserves the ability to walk around on her own. She deserves so much more than what she has.” Rin shook his head. “I’m not saying there is a chance for her… but there might be. If Nitori is as able as he says, then maybe—”  
   
 “Rin.” Sousuke let go, but his eyes grew cold. “If I were you, I would get The Eye here as fast as you can. The Mahō may be immune to some laws, but psions are psions. If they know Nitori is being hidden here, The Eye will take over the region and the Mahō. Witches will formally register in the area and no one is going to die anymore. If Nitori can help other psions, The Eye will figure that out.”  
   
 “I… can’t.”  
   
 “Why not, Rin?”  
   
 “Because! I need to know, for me.”  
   
 “That.” Sousuke took a step back. “Is selfish.”  
   
 “No! No it’s not.” Rin took a step forward. “Let’s say I turn in Nitori, and he gets taken into custody because of me. We know what the answer will be. Either containment, sedation, or possibly… euthanisation. If I do take him in, I want to be able to _fully_ report whether he is safe or unsafe.”  
   
 “I know you don’t trust The Eye, but Haruka—”  
   
 “Shut it.” Rin looked away. “I can’t trust Haru, not him. Not now. Not anymore, and you know that.”  
   
 “That’s…”  
   
 Nitori walked up to them with a smile. “Hey guys!”  
   
 Sousuke kept staring at Rin.  
   
 Rin kept staring at Sousuke. “So why did you give your number to me and Nitori, but not Haru and Makoto? Really, Nitori, but not Makoto?”  
   
 Sousuke couldn’t reply.  
   
 “It’s because you know Makoto can’t hide things forever from Haruka. Fuck, Sousuke, even Makoto knows we can’t trust Haru.” Rin looked down. “Not since, Nagisa…”  
   
 Sousuke felt his jaw tighten and he raised his head. “Don’t get too aggressive either, Rin.”  
   
 He frowned. “What?”  
   
 Nitori hugged the tin of tea he had bought and looked between them.  
   
 “Haruka, in his position,” Sousuke made a ‘tsk’ noise, “Whatever he is now, is obligated to report things to the High Council… But if we ever needed a councillor for anything, you know he will try endlessly for us. Even you.”  
   
 “Maybe you,” Rin pointed out, “But not me.”  
   
 “Don’t antagonise him just because he chose Makoto,” Sousuke crossed his arms, “And not you.”  
   
 “Shut up!”  
   
 Sousuke smirked and ran his hand through Rin’s hair again.  
   
 Rin growled and smacked the hand away. “Fuck off.”  
   
 Sousuke leaned in and kissed his forehead. “See you later.”  
   
 Rin kicked his shin again.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “So…” Nitori had his hands in his pockets as they walked to the bus stop. “Is he like, your boyfriend or something?”  
   
 “Fuck no.”  
   
 Nitori glanced at him.  
   
 “Well, he admitted he used to have a crush on me when we were little… but I just, I hated how he treated me like a baby brother, patronising me. He’d always act like the two years between us was the difference between a drop of water and the fucking Pacific Ocean.”  
   
 Nitori smiled. “Someone patronised you?”  
   
 “Mhm, all three of them did. Dickwads.”  
   
 Nitori’s smile grew into a grin. “So, if you don’t mind me asking… the four of you were friends for a while?”  
   
 “Uh. Yeah. They were two grades older than me in like, actual school, but when we were training to be witches we were all at the same level.”  
   
 “So, were you like a prodigy kid?”  
   
 Rin rolled his eyes and sighed. “Kind of?”  
   
 Nitori nudged him. “Kind of?”  
   
 “Yeah, it’s a dumb story.”  
   
 “Tell me more.”  
   
 “Oh no.” Rin shook his head about eighteen times. “No fucking way!”  
   
 “Please?”  
   
 “No! No! No!” Rin paled and ran several feet forward. “Back to the investigation!”  
   
 “Rin…”  
   
 “Guide me to the nearest wanderer!” Rin shouted a lot louder than he needed to.  
   
 “Rin, I just want to know about how you grew up…”  
   
 The light speckled in his hands and Rin shouted louder. “Guide me to the nearest wanderer, you dumb bitch!”  
   
 The light formed a sphere before firing itself at Rin, smashing itself on his face.  
   
 Nitori watched Rin topple over and he blinked.  
   
 “Ow! Fuck! Ow!” Smoke was rising from his left eyebrow, the one without the piercing.  
   
 Nitori tried to stifle a chuckle, but holding in made it grow and he burst out laughing.  
   
 “Shut the hell up!”  
   
 Nitori walked over and checked the wound. It wasn’t bleeding, but he reached in his pack and pulled out a Band-Aid. “Here.” He opened the package and peeled the white strips. He kneeled down and smoothed the Band-Aid over the wound.  
   
 “Thanks.”  
   
 Nitori leaned down and placed a soft kiss.  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened. “What the fuck?”  
   
 Nitori hopped to his feet and smiled sheepishly. “You did it to me…”  
   
 Rin’s cheeks burned and he scrambled to his feet. “Don’t patronise me!”  
   
 Nitori raised his arms in defense. “No sir!”  
   
 “Sir?” Rin snickered. “That’s… kinda hot…”  
   
 It was Nitori’s turn to feel his cheeks _burn._ “L-Let’s just f-focus on the investigation!”


	7. Pity

 Nitori turned the tablet so it was landscape as opposed to portrait. He typed the location of several intersections on the digital keyboard and chewed his lower lip. He tilted his head and nodded. “This looks really good.”  
    
 “Oy.” Rin shoved a spoon full of blueberry yogurt in his mouth and swallowed. “Get the fuck off my bed.”  
    
 “But Matsuoka,” Nitori whined, “Your chairs hurt.”  
    
 “Fuck off, that’s my bed.”  
    
 “Both of you,” Makoto gave the camera his mother-hen frown. “Play nice.”  
    
 “Eh.” Rin stared at his laptop. “Shut the fuck up.”  
    
 Makoto gasped so loud, he startled four cats and they jumped out of his arms.  
    
 Nitori held back a snerk and cleared his throat. “Thank you so much for all of this, Tachibana-san. I’ve found a lot of these patterns as I’ve been working, but I only had a vague idea. It’s amazing to have it in such an accessible diagram is fantastic.”  
    
 Makoto’s lips burst into full grin and he scratched the back of his head. “You’re welcome.” He adjusted his arms as the cats moved. “And that’s adorable that you call me Tachibana-san, but I’m totally comfortable with just Makoto.”  
    
 Nitori blinked. “Are you sure?”  
    
 “Yep!”  
    
 “Makoto,” a fourth voice grabbed their attention.  
    
 Makoto looked to the side. “Yeah, Haru?”  
    
 “What are you doing?”  
    
 “Just helping Rin!”  
    
 Haruka didn’t reply, and when Makoto looked back at the screen Rin figured he left the room. “Tch.” Rin frowned. “Asshole.”  
    
 Nitori looked at him. “You are such a child, Matsuoka-san.”  
    
 “No I am not!” Rin threw out his yogurt and dropped the spoon in the sink. “And just fucking call me Rin, you bag of dicks.”  
    
 Nitori had to admit he had never been called a bag of dicks before, and he pondered over his sanity when he felt a warm flutter in his chest. He was pretty sure he was affectionately called a bag of dicks.  
    
 Rin cocked his head to the side, cracking his neck. “Did you plot the coordinates yet?”  
    
 “Almost!” Nitori looked back at the tablet and began typing.  
    
 “I told you I can do if you want, ‘Tori.”  
    
 Nitori’s cheeks warmed but he shook his head. “It’s okay. You’ve already done so much so let me do this. I only have one left anyway.”  
    
 Rin, agreeing that the chairs hurt, walked over to the bed and took a seat next to Nitori. He glanced at the map of Nazuoka and tried to make sense of it. “So what’s this pattern you guys are talking about, anyway?”  
    
 “One sec.” Nitori tapped the button and looked up. “Just sent it, Tachi, uh, sorry, Makoto.”  
    
 Makoto smiled. “Got it. Mhm.” He looked down at his own tablet and began typing away. “Looks like I was right… Maybe, I’ve managed to diagnose the aura, though! And you were right, it was a support-based suppression aura, and it did develop permanence, but guess what I also found out? It’s using a shade core.”  
    
 Rin blinked. “A what?”  
    
 “Shade core?” Nitori tilted his head.  
    
 “Sorry.” Makoto laughed. “I’m a shade, so I forget other people don’t know. A shade core is basically a crystallisation of spirit energy from a shade. It can mean a couple things: Either there is a support witch working with a shade, or this support based witch has access to shade cores. Any shade can make them, but considering how strong this aura is… I have to say, he would probably be buying cores from The Eye.”  
    
 Rin and Nitori froze.  
    
 “I’m not saying The Eye is doing this. The vendors in the central nerve aren’t affiliated with the councils, they’re just shop owners, but what I am saying is this isn’t a witch who is caught or went rogue. He could be anyone, really. And if we went public that there is a huge problem in this sector, he’ll get the message and pull out. I think it’s best… if we stick to the three of us for now.”  
    
 “Right,” Rin muttered.  
    
 Makoto heard a beep and looked down. “Oh goodie! I just added the effects of the aura to your data and…” He tapped a button.  
    
 Nitori’s tablet (which was actually Rin’s but it was in Nitori’s hands) beeped and the info updated.  
    
 The map of the city had a red circle at the section Rin and Nitori had gone earlier, and around it was orange, then yellow, then green, then blue.  
    
 “It’s a radial aura,” Makoto explained. “It’s drawing the crazy spirits to the poor parts of town, and the further you go the less hostile the spirits will be, but it’s also making spirits in the area a bit crazy… It also has a lot of effects on the spirits and…” Makoto sighed. “Okay, I’ll just skip what it’s doing and just tell you why. It’s basically making a problem centre but none of the spirits in the problem centre are going to be cooperative. So whoever you’re up against is making you go to the problem centre, as opposed to where there may be spirits who are willing to help you with your investigation. Make sense?”  
    
 “Sort of.” Rin cocked his head to the side. “So then, we should try to find spirits that aren’t in this… problem centre?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 Nitori moved the map and tilted his head. “Then… we should head to the forest, shouldn’t we?”  
    
 “But there’s a low density of spirits there,” Rin pointed out. “We’ll have trouble finding any wanderers. We’ll have to perform a ritual at the shrine, since that’s in the area right?”  
    
 “Exactly in the area.” Nitori tapped the map where the shrine was, sitting right in the blue radius. “It’ll be hard work, but we should focus the case around there.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “I’ll grab a couple changes of clothes, witch stuff, bring my laptop and shit. We might be there for a couple days.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
  

 After packing what he needed, Rin and Nitori stepped out and went to the bus stop. They were the only ones on the tram, again, and Rin silently wondered if the buses were haunted or something. They sat near the back, Nitori closest to the window, and Rin sat next to him. At one point, Nitori closed his eyes and rested his head on Rin’s shoulder.  
    
 Rin stared at him for a while, but didn’t say anything.  
    
 His phone went off.  
    
 Rin scrambled to open it before it woke Nitori, and he didn’t realise he accepted a video call from Haruka until he saw blue eyes staring right at him. “H-Hey, buddy.”  
    
 “Don’t call me that.”  
    
 Rin tsk’d. “Okay, fine, what do you want?”  
    
 “If you don’t need Makoto, leave him alone.”  
    
 He blinked. “Wh-What?” His fingers twitched. “Jealous, Haru? That he’s spending more time with me than you?”  
    
 “I work sixty hours a week,” Haruka reminded. “Whenever I am home, he’s got eight _fucking_ cats to take care of. The only time we have together is wasted on you.”  
    
 “It’s not ‘wasted’ on me.” Rin squeezed his phone. “He’s doing this to help me.”  
    
 “No. He pities you.”  
    
 “Wh…what?”  
    
 “Rin doesn’t have anyone, Rin doesn’t have any friends, Rin needs someone,” Haruka’s voice may have been monotone, but the annoyance was making its way through. “Only talking to you because he pities you.” Those cold eyes softened as Haru looked away. “I’m… not saying it’s a bad thing. But he’s a nice guy… don’t take advantage of that. Don’t make him do all your homework.”  
    
 “Tch.”  
    
 Haruka’s eyes moved to the side.  
    
 “Highlord,” came a woman’s voice.  
    
 Haruka sighed. “I have to go.”  
    
 The video call ended.  
    
 Rin stared at the blank screen of his phone.  
    
 Nitori stirred against him. “Wow.” He opened his blue eyes. “What a… asshole.”  
    
 Rin glanced over to him.  
    
 Nitori said nothing, just hugged Rin’s arm.  
    
 Rin stared down at him, but said nothing either.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 They walked up the steps of the shrine in silence; or, rather, silence accompanied them since the bus ride. That silence was broken when someone approached them.  
    
 “Good timing,” Rei said as he cocked his head.  
    
 Momotarou was looking around, fingers curled into fists. “I sense something… big.” He looked at them. “Really big.”  
    
 Rin blinked. “So? Perform a ritual.”  
    
 “Mmm, well…” Momotarou shifted his weight from one leg to another. “I kinda suck at that kinda thing.”  
    
 “I would help,” Rei admitted, “But our spirit essences don’t work well together.”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “It’s true. Usually Momotarou and I or Rei and I do rituals together.”  
    
 “Well.” Rin put a hand on his hip. “The three of us can perform a ritual then. I’ll lead.”


	8. Chrysalis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a bad habit of talking quite a bit in the author's note sections, so that's why I've been trying not to be a blabbermouth. But, here we are, Chapter 8. It's been two weeks since this story began, and we broke 100 Kudos! I just wanted to thank everyone for your support! It motivates me and just helps keep me excited! So, honestly, thank you~! 
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!
> 
> * * *

 “So.” Rin looked around. “Where are we going to do this?”  
    
 “The courtyard,” Nitori explained. “The nexus is right…” He hopped forward and tapped his foot at the centre of the shrine. “Here.”  
    
 Rin rubbed his neck. “We won’t be seen, or anything like that?”  
    
 Momotarou shook his head. “Nah.”  
    
 Rei adjusted his glasses. “I’ll be on the lookout, but I doubt it. This shrine is left alone.”  
    
 Rin nodded and put down his shoulder bag. He kneeled down and opened it up, pulling out a brown tome. “Alright, what stars are you guys born under?”  
    
 “Saggy,” Momotarou said with a chirpy tone. After a small pause, “Sagittarius,” he clarified.  
    
 Nitori smiled. “Capricorn.”  
    
 “Mhm.” Rin opened the book and flipped the pages. “Nice, I’m an Aquarius. We’re one after another. Let’s see here… for the oils… Nope, no oils, but…” He grabbed his box of reagents and opened it. The mix of scents made him move his head back.  
    
 “Whoa…” Nitori kneeled down next to him. “This is, stacked! And they look fresh.”  
    
 “Yeah, Makoto provided me with a bunch.” He rubbed his tongue stud against the roof of his mouth. “Okay so like I thought, I don’t have the oils, but for the three of us… rosemary, chamomile, and peppermint should work. Do you have a bowl that’s fireproof?”  
    
 Nitori stood up. “Yeah, I’ll get it for you!”  
    
 “Thanks.” He looked at Momotarou. “Got a knife or something?”  
    
 Momotarou patted his side, where a dagger was strung around his waist. “When I sensed something big, I got ready.” He pulled it out of its sheath and handed it. “Here.”  
    
 “Thanks, kid.” He grabbed two candles, one purple, one yellow, and sliced shavings off the bottom.  
    
 “Ew.” Momotarou made a face. “Pick a cool colour, like red!”  
    
 Rin snorted. “No. Purple is for spiritual and magical energy, and yellow is for intellect and understanding.”  
    
 “Oh… but, why are you cutting them instead of lighting them?”  
    
 “We’ll throw the wax in with the herbs; it’ll melt when it’s on fire. No need to use a whole candle.”  
    
 Nitori came back and offered a couple bowls of different sizes.  
    
 Rin grabbed the biggest one and looked at it. “Fireproof, right?”  
    
 “Yeah, they’re firebowls. Enchanted and all.”  
    
 “Really?”  
    
 Rei nodded. “They don’t look like it, but they are.”  
    
 “Great.” Rin added the candle shavings to the bowl then carefully cut the ends of the two candles, making sure they were still useable and flat at on the bottom, for another ritual. He added the herbs and hummed to himself.  
    
 “Why not black?” Nitori kneeled down again. “Then again… I guess it would be…”  
    
 “Yeah, don’t know what we’d gather with that one.”  
    
 “Hmm…” Nitori looked at him. “We could add some black and try to counter it with something? Hazel?”  
    
 “Oh. Shit.” Rin glanced over. “Not a bad idea. But…” He looked back at his box of reagents. “I’ve got hazelnuts, but not any hazel.”  
    
 “We have some,” Rei offered. “It’s preserved, though. Dry.”  
    
 “Nnn.” Nitori stood up. “Can’t use it without water, but if we use water then we can’t burn it. Oh. Your specialty’s fire, Rin, right?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “I can do the blessing. It’ll keep the herbs from turning to ash too.”  
    
 “Great! Then I’ll get a chalice!”  
    
 Momotarou looked left, then right, then decided to sit on the floor. “I just want you guys to know I have no idea what’s going on…”  
    
 “Just stay there,” Rin instructed.  
    
 Rei turned away to hide his smile.  
   
 Momotarou had a bit of trouble staying still, but he sat cross-legged and flapped his knees like they were wings.  
    
 Nitori returned, chalice in hand; it was made of silver with gold added over previous cracks to smooth it. It was the size of Nitori’s forearm and it was filled with water. He put it down next to Rin and then showed the preserved hazel wood chips in his other hand. “I’ll add this and a black candle to bowl, you bless the water.”  
    
 “Got it.” Rin never liked taking orders, but his anger didn’t boil over when Nitori said it. Maybe it was because it was logical. Efficient. Maybe not. He shook his head, shaking away thoughts, and focused on the chalice. To blend water and fire. He took a short breath and closed his eyes, putting his hands on the cool metal.  
    
 The water swirled once before it began to boil. With a crack, like thunder, the water blazed to life. Rising and crackling like a campfire would. There were specks of blue ash rising into the air, but they dissipated after a couple seconds.  
    
 “That’s amazing!” Nitori said with a smile. He had finished adding some of the black candle wax and the hazel. “Anything else we need?”  
    
 “No.” Rin shook his head. “Let’s just pour the water in and let it mix.”  
    
 Nitori nodded and put the bowl down.  
    
 Rin carefully grabbed the handles of the chalice and tilted it over.  
    
 The fire poured like liquid, swirling and infusing itself in the reagents.  
    
 Momotarou got to his feet. “So we’re doing the ritual now?”  
    
 “Give it a minute to mix,” Rin muttered. “It’ll become more… uniform or whatever. Where’s the nexus?”  
    
 Nitori walked a couple steps to the side and tapped the ground, where a small carving of a star was.  
    
 Rin grabbed the bowl, feeling the immense heat it was giving off, and slowly guided it to where Nitori’s foot was. “There we go. Okay… this mixture looks a little heavy.”  
    
 “Candles to balance it out?” Nitori offered.  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 “White ones?”  
    
 “Yep.”  
    
 Nitori grabbed three and then handed one to Rin, then to Momotarou. They both took them before walking away from each other. Standing equal distances away from the bowl and each other, they made a perfect triangle, with the flaming water at the centre.  
    
 Rin snapped his finger, summoning four spirit crystals around him.  
    
 Nitori didn’t move as his appeared.  
    
 Momotarou had to focus before his came out, one at a time.  
    
 When Rin snapped his finger again, all twelve crystals burst, into dust—spirit essence, in its physical form—The dust created two triangles; a big one encasing them, and a smaller one encasing the bowl. Lines between the two triangles formed at random points with curves and deeply intricate details. In front of each of them, a small opening appeared.  
    
 “Put your candle here,” Rin ordered, and they did as he said.  
    
 Rei, watching the whole thing, raised both eyebrows. “I must say… this is quite professional.”  
    
 Rin smiled. “Thanks.”  
    
 “It really is,” Nitori chirped happily, clasping his hands together, “Rin.”  
    
 Momotarou nodded about eighteen times.  
    
 Rin waved his hand and the three candles lit; their fires were blue, bubbling and watery in texture. “You two ready?”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “I am.”  
   
 “Uh.” Momotarou cringed. “Sure…”  
    
 “Momo?” Nitori tilted his head.  
   
 “Sorry I just, feel… so behind you two.”  
   
 “You’re only sixteen,” Rin pointed out. “Your spirit hasn’t fully matured, so don’t beat yourself up if you can’t control it as much as we can.”  
    
 “Mmm.” Momotarou smiled. “Thanks.”  
   
 Nitori looked at Rin curiously, wondering if…   
   
 “Okay.” Momotarou nodded. “I’m good to go!”  
    
 “Alright.” Rin closed his eyes, knowing the other two as well. Seeing only darkness, he began the ritual.  
    
 Intent.  
    
 Focus.  
    
 Will.  
    
 From the bowl, a hand of fire extended and flared. It screamed before grabbing Rin’s face—consuming him in fire and death.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Rin calmed his breathing, knowing it wouldn’t be long. When the blindfold loosened around his face, he opened his eyes and saw the blurry world. “Heh. Amateur’s mistake.” He closed his two eyes and his third eye—the one on his forehead—opened. With that open, his other two eyes opened as well and he could see clearly.  
    
 The shrine was still standing, fire consuming it all.  
    
 Momotarou looked like he was struggling, but Nitori was fine.  
    
 Rei had disappeared, of course.  
    
 Rin looked up to the sky, where it bled red. Though, he could see little of the sky with the massive planet in the way. The afterlife. Invisible to the human eye, it hung above Earth, sucking the souls of the dead. A large sphere of swirling red and white, with two black rings around it, moving in opposite directions.   
    
 “Ah.” Nitori opened all three eyes and glanced at him.  
    
 “Huh.” Rin crossed his arms. “That was fast.”  
    
 “You too,” he pointed out.  
    
 They both looked at Momotarou, who was struggling, but he eventually opened his eyes, opening one a crack at a time.  
    
 Momotarou rubbed his cheeks before shaking his face. “H-Heya.”  
    
 “Hey.” Rin smiled. “We all tranced.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Nitori looked around. “I can feel something out here…”  
    
 Rin nodded.  
    
 Momotarou closed his two eyes, but kept his third one open. It looked left, then right, then stared forward. “I’ll try to find it here.”  
    
 “We’re linked,” Rin pointed out, “So we’ll divide the strain. Just keep looking and try to find it.”  
    
 “Right.” Momotarou focused his mind on his forehead and his vision projected forward. Nitori and Rin closed all their eyes, allowing them to see through him. Momotarou felt nails rake down his arms and he hitched his breath, but stayed focus. His vision moved forward, moving away from the shrine and into the forest. It blurred through the trees, picking up speed as he got the hang of it.  
    
 Darkness…  
    
 Something swirling black and white caught his eye, but he didn’t see anything. He was seeing and not seeing. Something called to him, whispered in his ear, traced its tongue against his neck. His toes curled, but Momotarou shook his head, focusing. He realised they were heading towards the mountain, but he stopped before then. There was something black and white, flashing, hot, fire? Momotarou focused on something and he tilted his head.  
    
 It was an… egg?  
    
 At least as tall as a person, it was a black crystal, translucent, glossy, shimmering.  
    
 It was coated in white fire.  
    
 It was beating in twos, like a heart.  
    
 “N-No…” Rin’s eyes opened. “No…”  
    
 Nitori opened his eyes as well. “Rin?”  
    
 Momotarou opened his eyes again and blinked. The world around them was fading; red sky mixed with blue, the afterlife began to waver.  
    
 “Break it!” Nitori yelled, “Break the connection!”  
    
 “Wha—?”  
    
 “Do it!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Rei jumped back when Rin thrashed to the side, struggling to get up. “Matsuoka?”  
    
 Rin stood up and put his legs a space apart. He grabbed both sides of his head and his breathing became heavy. “No, no way…”  
    
 Nitori opened his eyes and stood up. “Rin!” He ran over and grabbed his arm. “Rin, focus. Calm down!”  
    
 Rin’s breathing came in rapid, short bursts.  
    
 Momotarou struggled to open his eyes, but he forced himself to.  
    
 “Chry… Chrysalis,” Rin muttered. “It’s a…”  
    
 “Chrysalis,” Nitori repeated in a whisper.  
    
 Momotarou stood up and dusted himself off. “That’s bad trouble, I guess?”  
    
 “It’s going to hatch!” Rin yelled and then took a deep breath. “We need, we need stay calm. Chrysalises are a build-up of leftover spirit energy from the dead… They feed on emotions—anger, fear, happiness—everything.”  
    
 “So you need to calm down,” Nitori pointed out. “Breathe, Rin. Breathe.”  
    
 Rin took a deep breath and let it out slowly before nodding. “The problem is, Necrosis…”  
    
 “It’s okay.” Nitori smiled. “We’ll take care of that when we get to it. For now… none of us, have fought them before…”  
    
 “Oh.” Momotarou paled. “Chrysalises… Isn’t that… what your squad dealt with?”  
    
 Rei pursed his lips. “If it is about to hatch, we don’t have time to spare and talk, do we?”  
    
 “No!” Rin nodded and turned around. He tapped his pants, making sure he had his spores, and he picked up Momotarou’s knife before he ran towards the forest.  
    
 Nitori followed. He knew Rei and Momotarou had to get their weapons, so he figured it was the two of them until then. “You can’t let them touch channelled magic, right?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin swallowed hard, trying to stay neutral; a skill that was once so easy, before… “If you need a barrier, use a natural barrier, like ice or earth or something… Anything you can kinda just pull up and leave it there.”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “It’s not a problem unless it hatches…”  
    
 “It’s going to hatch.” Rin moved around a tree and saw the egg in question. It was pulsating in a violent rhythm. His eyes widened and he knew he was feeding it. He moved his arm back and used the dagger to slice a vertical line up the sac.  
    
 A spray of black water surged up and collected into a large sphere.  
    
 “N-No!” Rin backed away, watching the features form. “No… No! No.”  
    
 “Rin!” Nitori called out.  
    
 “It’s your fault…” Rin’s eyes brimmed with tears. “It’s because of things like you, he—!”  
    
 Tentacles shot forward.  
    
 Without thinking, Nitori summoned a barrier that blocked the blow.  
    
 “Nitori!” Rin screamed, turning to the side but…  
    
 Nitori heaved his hand, turning the barrier into a spike that blasted the sphere, sloshing half the liquid away.  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “You…”  
    
 “Rin?”  
    
 “You didn’t…”  
    
 “What?”  
    
 “Your barrier.” Rin backed away. “Your barrier didn’t…”  
    
 Nitori stared at him and looked at his hand. “Is it because… I’m a psion?”  
    
 Rin opened his mouth, but the Chrysalis attacked.  
    
 Two more tentacles fired at him.  
    
 Rin backed away, dodging both. He tossed the knife aside and grabbed his vial of spores. He popped the lid and threw the spores in the air. Hand, coated in fire, whipped in a line. Each spore exploded in a blast of red light. Rin didn’t think as he drew runes along his palms.   
   
 The fire was his.  
    
 From the heat of flammable spores, an infernal jinnī stretched its arms and roared. It only had an upper half of a body, and its chest was massive, a cloud of fire below the waist. The Efreet sucked in before releasing a funnel of fire at the sphere.  
    
 The sphere of black water couldn’t dodge, but it screamed before countering with more tentacles.  
    
 The Efreet opened its wings and dodged by gliding to the side.  
    
 Hearing footsteps, Nitori looked over his shoulder.  
    
 Rei unsheathed his rapier and coated it in whirling current of air. With one slash, an arc of wind shot out and struck the sphere.  
    
 Momotarou pulled out an arrow and slipped it on his bow, but swallowed hard. “Wh-What’s the plan?”  
    
 “We need to kill this thing now!” Rin raised his voice over the fire. “The longer it’s alive, the stronger it is! It’s draining our power! And, we need to lure it away; a Chrysalis has no soul: It _has_ to go through Necrosis!”  
    
 “Don’t worry about that!” Nitori countered. “I’ll take care of the Necrosis, just bring it down as fast as we can!”  
    
 Momotarou, a sensory type, stared at it. “There’s a core at the centre! But all that black mucky water is guarding it!”  
    
 “Then we’ll evaporate it,” Rei said simply. He held his rapier horizontally and closed his eyes. Wind picked up autumn leaves at his feet and a storm began to whirl around him. Opening his eyes, thunderbolts of wind erupted from his shoulders and he pointed his blade at Rin’s Efreet.  
    
 The jinnī consumed the oxygen in Rei’s wind and grew two, three, four times its previous size. It roared with bestial vigor. Lava foamed at its mouth and fired meteor after meteor at the sphere.  
    
 The Chrysalis splashed with every meteor, but the black water swirled, moving itself to the front of the sphere. Not feeding on enough energy, the Chrysalis had yet to develop limbs or a face.  
    
 Nitori clasped his hands together and hitched his breath. Blue eyes locked on the sphere, he began to tear away at reality. “Momo, now!”  
    
 Momotarou ran around the sphere, where the black water was less dense. He got down on one knee and closed one eye; although invisible, his third eye remained open, giving him the perception of depth he needed.  
    
 Black lightning crackled around Nitori’s hand and he tried to calm his heart rate. He repeated the three steps of the witching process in his mind.  
    
 Momotarou stared at the core of the sphere. He shut his other eye, only keeping his third one open. The core was a different ‘colour’ than the rest of the monster, but it kept wavering, moving left, moving right.   
    
 “Momo!” Nitori yelled. “I can’t hold this forever! Shoot it!”  
    
 Momotarou swallowed hard before he adjusted his aim one, final, time.  
    
 He fired.  
    
 The arrow pierced through the air and struck the core—it shattered, cracking like glass. Bits and pieces shot out and a high pitched scream blasted out, surging wind in all direction.  
    
 The Efreet threw its arms to the side, shielding Rin and Rei from the psychic scream, but it burst into ash, breaking both of their spells.  
    
 Rin screamed as he was thrown back.  
    
 A shard scratched Rei’s glasses before they flew off and the blast shoved Rei against a tree.  
    
 Momotarou, lower to the earth, ducked and tried to hold his ground.  
    
 Amidst the terror, Nitori’s left hand grabbed the wrist of his right one to stabilise the void he was creating in the palm of his hand. In a circle, it spun, gaining speed and intensity. Nitori’s hair flipped in the wind and he felt his feet being pushed back, crunching leaves beneath his feet.  
    
 The sphere began to convulse, creating a bomb, Necrosis.  
    
 Nitori struggled to raise his hand, but he pointed his palm towards the sphere.  
    
 Rin tasted blood in his mouth, but none of that registered; he forced himself to look up.  
    
 Nitori screamed as he launched the projectile. Body giving up, he was thrown in the air, doing a flip before his body crashed against the ground, bones cracking, and he slided along the forest floor.  
    
 The projectile, black and with a tail, arched through the air before slamming into the sphere. Clawing and biting at the creature, it swallowed it up, ripped the seams of mindless matter and devouring reality.  
    
 Rin stared, eyes wide.  
    
 The Chrysalis, or whatever was left of it, screamed louder, but its voice was drowning in the black hole that sucked it in. The sound of glass breaking over and over pierced their ears until the remains of the sphere condensed into one, single moment in time and space.  
    
 And disappeared.  
    
 Rin stared.  
    
 It was gone.  
    
 Rin stared.  
    
 It was gone.  
    
 Rin stared and felt his lungs begging for air. He breathed, shaky, slowly, but he still stared.  
    
 It, was… gone?  
    
 A rustle of wind moved his hair but he stared at perilous blue skies and undamaged trees.  
    
 “Ngh.” Momotarou lifted his head and grinned. “Holy shit…”  
    
 Rei struggled to his feet, hand on a tree for support. His breathing was heavy, but he sighed of relief. “W-Well done.”  
    
 “Hn.” Nitori was lying on his back. He put his hand on his rib and winced. “Ow.”  
    
 Momotarou got up and walked over. “I’ll heal you.” He dropped to his knees. “Where?”  
    
 “M-My side.”  
    
 “Did we just…?” Rin felt his eyes fill with tears, so he closed them. “Nitori… did you just…?”  
    
 Nitori looked at Rin, feeling better with Momotarou’s magic working on the wound.  
    
 “You… stopped, a Necrosis?”  
    
 “Yeah.” He sighed. “Looks like…”  
    
 “Huh… Wow.” Rin opened his eyes and tears began to fall. “That’s… amazing. No one can stop someone going through Necrosis… That’s… amazing!”  
    
 “Rin,” Rei’s voice was dark. “Don’t get too excited.”  
    
 “Huh?”  
    
 “I don’t know much about Chrysalises, since they’re rare outside of times of war… but they take years to grow, and even more years to finally hatch. This close to the shrine, Momotarou would have sensed it earlier.”  
    
 “Th-The,” Nitori breathed out. “Suppression aura, weakened.”  
    
 “I felt it, but… no.” Rei shook his head. “That’s not enough of a reason.”  
    
 “He’s right,” Rin muttered. “A small weakening of the aura wouldn’t hide anything this massive.”  
    
 “The most logical explanation.” Rei looked around for his glasses and picked them off the ground. “Is that the aura weakened to prepare this Chrysalis.”  
    
 “Wait.” Momotarou looked up. “Can you even like, plant one of these things?”  
    
 “Hm.” Rei frowned. “Not that I know of.”  
    
 “Yes.” Rin swallowed hard. “I… The five of us, we… I know, knew… the, we… knew someone who could plant Chrysalises, but… we, we made sure his soul crossed over to the afterlife.” Rin’s hands squeezed the grass beneath him. “There’s no way…”  
    
 Rei inspected his glasses and poked his tongue at his cheek. “Rin, are you sure _that_ soul crossed over?”  
    
 “Yes.”  
    
 “Did you send it yourself?”  
    
 “N-No.” Rin looked up. “Sousuke did.”  
    
 Rei tensed at the name. “Then you should ask him if he’s sure.”  
    
 Rin frowned. “Sousuke wouldn’t have done anything else!”  
    
 Rei turned and walked back to the shrine.  
    
 Rin forced himself up and looked at Nitori. “Hey.”  
    
 “H-Hey.” Nitori frowned. “Rin… about _that_ person.”  
    
 Rin turned away. “We’ll… talk more, later.”  
    
 Momotarou blinked, watching him leave before he guiding his glowing hands over Nitori’s wound. “What’s their problem? Who was that person?”  
    
 “I think, the person they’re talking about,” Nitori whispered, “Was… Nagisa.”


	9. Spirit-Leave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of Fire and Mind broke 1000 hits! Thank you guys~! Please enjoy the chapter. <3
> 
> * * *

 When the soup began to boil, Momotarou twisted the knob. The blue jet burner underneath the pot shrunk and its low hum became too quiet to hear. He used a ladle to stir the soup and the flavours rushed into the air. Roasted peppers, carrots, celery, tomatoes, green beans, corn, white pepper, a dash of chili powder, and salt to bring the flavours out. Momotarou hummed while he cooked, as per usual.  
    
 And Nitori wanted to punch him in the face for it.  
    
 Momotarou stirred one more time before he put the cover on. “Almost done there?”  
    
 Nitori glanced down to the chicken breasts that were baked tender in the oven. He had diced two, but there was one left. He grabbed the sharp knife and quickly got to work. “Yeah, sorry.”  
    
 Momotarou looked back at the soup. “How’s your rib?”  
    
 “Great,” Nitori admitted. “Magic’s done all it can do, but I’ll need a couple more days before I’m top shape.”  
    
 Momotarou looked down. “So… Rin’s still in his room? Hasn’t come out yet?”  
    
 Nitori shook his head.  
    
 “It’s been two days.”  
    
 Nitori lifted the cutting board. “Here.”  
    
 Momotarou opened the lid and added the chicken to the soup before giving it a stir. “About… Nagisa, what… what happened to him?”  
    
 “That’s what I want to know…”  
    
 Momotarou put the cover on. “We’re done here, if you want to check up on Rin?”  
    
 He put the knife down and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll… be back, soon-ish.”  
    
 “Take your time.”  
    
 Nitori washed his hands, dried them on a towel, and stepped into the hallway. He swallowed hard as he passed his room, Momotarou’s, then… He opened the door of the third room. The room was empty, bare, save for a few things, including the penguin key chains hanging by the bedside table. Nitori closed that door and pressed his forehead against the wood.  
    
 He was trying so hard to be strong, but…  
    
 Nitori took a deep breath, shoulders shaking, but he moved along. Past Rei’s room, he finally got to Rin’s. He tapped his knuckles on the wooden section of the sliding doors and waited for a reply.  
    
 None came.  
    
 He moved the door an inch open and he looked inside.  
    
 Rin was sitting on his bed, looking down.  
    
 Nitori took another breath and opened the door. “Rin?”  
    
 Rin didn’t move.  
    
 Nitori took one step in then forced himself to another. He walked over to Rin and squatted down to look up at his face. “Hey.”  
    
 Rin blinked twice and moved some hair out of his face. “H-Hey bud.”  
    
 “Rin…”  
    
 “Ai.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened, cheeks warming.  
    
 “Sorry.” Rin scoffed a fake laugh and scratched the back of his head. “Just figured it would be okay to go by first name basis… if that’s okay with you?”  
    
 “That’s totally fine with me.”  
    
 Rin actually smiled at that.  
    
 Nitori stood up and took a seat on the bed next to Rin, close enough that their knees and shoulders were touching. “I’m… not good at this, but… if you want to talk to me, you can.” He looked at his lap and his hands fumbled together. “Wh-What I mean to say is, you can talk to me.”  
    
 “No, I don’t.” Rin closed his eyes. “I mean, I just, I can’t talk about this. I don’t talk.”  
    
 “Then… will you, show me?”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened.  
    
 Nitori scooted away. “S-Sorry, I didn’t think before I said that I’m sorry that was invasive sorry…”  
    
 Rin smiled. “No, it’s cool… Maybe. As crazy as it sounds, maybe it would be easier than talking. I’m just, not sure yet.”  
    
 “Of course. Those are very personal.” Nitori hesitated for a moment before he leaned over and kissed his cheek.  
    
 Rin’s cheek warmed and he scratched the back of his head again. “The hell was that for?”  
    
 “I just, don’t like seeing you upset…”  
    
 Rin looked away.  
    
 Nitori smiled and looked down at his feet. “Is it okay if I stay here until dinner’s done?”  
    
 “Um, sure?” Rin shrugged. “I don’t know why you would want to, though.”  
    
 “Well, I just… I don’t want you to be alone.” Nitori cringed. “Your friend, Nanase… he said Makoto was your only friend. I know you have Sousuke too, but… you are alone. I’ve spent most of my life alone so I know… What I mean to say is that, I’d… like to be here for you.”  
    
 Rin looked at him. “Why?”  
    
 “Because…” Nitori swallowed hard. “You’re my friend too, right?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 “So… yeah…”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Dinner was quiet, besides the thanking of food every now and then. Rin ate slowly, not really tasting the flavours, but something told him it was great. He didn’t know. He didn’t care. He occasionally glanced to Rei, whose eyes were unfocused. Momotarou was excited to eat the fruits of his labour, but Nitori just kind of poked at his soup.  
    
 It was quiet.  
    
 Rin half wanted someone to punch him in the face, if only to get some excitement.  
    
 But it was quiet, and quiet’s hand gripped Rin’s throat, making sure to kill any attempt at a conversation before it was even born.  
    
 It was about four minutes later when Momotarou looked up. “Hey, Ai, did you download that game I told you ‘bout?”  
    
 “World Builder?” Nitori looked up. “That’s what it was called, right?”  
    
 “Yeah, but there’s a sale on so you can get World Builder and World Builder: Betrayal, that’s the expansion pack, for the price of one.”  
    
 “No, not yet.” Nitori smiled. “I should, I love games like that.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Momotarou laughed. “I kind of suck at it, but I’m sure we could kick ass on multiplayer.”  
    
 Nitori smiled as well. “Sure, I’ll get it.”  
    
 Rei said nothing.  
    
 Rin said nothing.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “Aiichiro.”  
    
 Nitori moved the plate away from the hot water and into the dishwasher before he turned around. “Yes?”  
    
 Rei, donning a pair of black glasses, his replacement pair, stood at the doorway of the kitchen. “I want answers.”  
    
 “Answers?” Nitori dried his hands with the hand towel and turned off the water. “About what?”  
    
 “Chrysalises.” Rei crossed his arms. “If we’re going to keep fighting them, I want to know what it is we are up against.”  
    
 “Well, I’m sure we could do some research…”  
    
 “Aiichiro.”  
    
 Nitori huffed and looked away.  
    
 “You’re close to him. Make him open up. That’s an order.”  
    
 “Rei… How could y—?”  
    
 “Do it.”  
    
 Nitori dipped his head in respect. “A-Alright.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Rin slumped in his bed, red eyes looking down at his feet. He felt the bed dip next to him and he glanced over. He saw Nitori, but his usual smile (forced or not) was absent. His eyes were cloudy, filled with guilt, and his stature was even smaller than usual. “Hey…”  
    
 “Rei…” Nitori sighed. “Rei wants to know more about those… things.”  
    
 Rin nodded. “Yeah…”  
    
 “I… I wanted to wait. Until you’re ready. You mentioned, fighting them, but you just freaked out when you saw it… It kind of, makes me wonder, just how… traumatised, you were.” He hugged his own arm and looked down. “I wanted to wait…”  
    
 “It’s okay.” Rin smiled. “I know he’s asking, because he knows… about Nagisa.”  
    
 “Rin, I’m sorry. I don’t want to force you, but, will you tell me? Please?”  
    
 “I don’t know.”  
    
 “Will you… show me?”  
    
 Rin looked down. “Okay.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened.  
    
 “Let’s do it.” He closed his eyes. “I’ll show you my memories; I’ll give you every answer you’ve wanted to know.” He scooted back on his bed, sitting cross-legged on the soft sheets.  
    
 Nitori did the same, facing him. “Rin…”  
    
 “It’s okay.” He cupped Nitori’s head with both hands and closed his eyes. Pressing their foreheads together, Rin took a deep breath.  
    
 ‘ _I’ll show you everything._ ’


	10. Necrosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, so, I'm sure you've noticed there have been a couple short chapters lately. This one will make up for that. It's just under three times the size of an average chapter. I would split it, but it just didn't feel right. So get yourself a glass of water or a cup of tea, and enjoy. Sorry it's so long!
> 
> Also, good news: This fic is going to be about 20 chapters (if all goes according to plan; it's subject to change), so we're halfway! Thank you for all the support. Please enjoy.
> 
> * * *

 Miss Amakata stood at the front of the classroom. Despite the grim topics, she had a smile on her face. “Now, as promised, we have a very special guest speaker today. Please welcome, Captain Yamazaki Sousuke.”  
    
 Sousuke glanced to the back of the class, where three people (far too old to be attending themselves) were watching him. He turned his attention to the students and bowed to the class, taking in the applause. He opened his mouth to introduce himself, but—  
    
 A hand shot up.  
    
 Sousuke blinked, but smiled. “Yes?”  
    
 “I-Is it true,” a sixteen year old boy with a quiet voice spoke up, “That you kill Chrysalises, C-Captain?”  
    
 The applause died. The class went quiet.  
    
 Sousuke nodded. “Yes.”  
    
 The class burst into whispers before a girl raised her hand. “What’s it like?”  
    
 “Um… Well.” Sousuke scratched the back of his head. “Horrifying. Absolutely horrifying. It’s not fun, and it’s _not_ glorious… You need to ready yourself, completely. You cannot show fear, horror, despair, or even anger when you watch other witches die. And you can’t be happy when you kill it, because that might bring it back to life. Emotions are what make spirit essence strong, and Chrysalises feed on your spirit essence, draining you as the fight goes on. The more emotional you are, the more it eats from you.”  
    
 The class once again fell to silence.  
    
 Sousuke looked back. “Did I go too far?”  
    
 Miho Amakata offered a small, supportive smile. “Chrysalises are only for the most expert of witches. However, it was a little on-topic. We have the Captain here to talk about how to send spirits off.”  
    
 Sousuke grabbed the small clicker and flipped the slides on the monitor to get to the one he wanted. “Well, I’ll get to it. Spirits are made of two things, obviously.” He used the laser pointer at the end of the clicker to point to the diagram. “Spirit essence, and the soul.” He looked around the class, making sure they were following along. “Some spirits are hostile because that’s who they are, some of them turn hostile after death if they’re not sent off in time, and some are corrupted when dead to become hostile.”  
    
 He changed the slide.  
    
 “Spirits can die in two ways: Apoptosis and Necrosis.” He looked at Miho. “You guys are, how old?”  
    
 “They’re sixteen and seventeen.”  
    
 “Ah. It’s probably too early for you guys, but if you take advanced biology courses, you’ll learn that a cell has two main ways of dying: Apoptosis and Necrosis. These processes share names because they’re identical to spirit death. Cells are, after all, more than just a gathering of molecules and atoms in a membrane: They’re mini units of spirit essence. Apoptosis is the controlled shutdown of a cell. When the body says, ‘this cell is no good’, that cell keeps itself contained and dies. Necrosis, on the other hand, is not controlled and it’s caused by problems in the body. Necrotic cells burst, damaging and even killing other nearby cells. That’s the basics, anyway.”  
    
 He changed slides.  
    
 “Don’t worry.” Sousuke smiled. “You won’t be tested on cells, but you will be tested on spirits. Spirits go through these two processes in a similar fashion. Apoptosis is the proper sending of a spirit, done by a witch. The spirit essence and the soul separate; the soul goes to the afterlife, while spirit essence just dissolves into the air. Necrosis, on the other hand…” He frowned. “During Necrosis, the soul refuses to go to the afterlife, and it turns its remaining spirit essence into… essentially, an explosive.”  
    
 Miho, besides being a nice person, did find some pleasure in watching her whole class go slack jaw.  
    
 “Necrosis is dangerous for thousands of reasons,” Sousuke went on after changing the slide. “Not only are the witches in danger, but also civilians, plants, animals, even buildings can be damaged or destroyed by this process. If you have the option, you must always choose Apoptosis. If you cannot, you must hold a barrier around the necrotic spirit. If you don’t think you can hold a barrier, though… run.”  
    
 A hand shot up.  
    
 Sousuke looked at her. “Yes?”  
    
 “Why don’t you guide Chrysalises through Apoptosis?”  
    
 “Because a Chrysalis has no soul,” Sousuke explained. “You’re not being tested on Chrysalises, but I’ll give you a basic run-down.” He knew the kids wanted it, anyway. “Emotionally charged spirit essence, negative or positive, that is too strong to dissolve into the air tends to clump together, forming an egg, a cocoon. If enough gathers in one spot, the emotions form a Chrysalis. Chrysalises, on their own, are relatively weak. They usually end up as some shape: a pyramid, a cube, a sphere. But if it keeps feeding, it’ll grow arms, legs, limbs. And these limbs will define themselves. Hands will grow claws, some arms might become wings. And it becomes stronger. Without a soul, Apoptosis isn’t possible. So Necrosis is the only option.”  
    
 Another hand went up.  
    
 “Yes?”  
    
 “I-Is it true… you can’t use a barrier against a Chrysalis?”  
    
 “Sadly, yes.” Sousuke looked at the boy. “The spirit essence has no soul, and without life it becomes toxic. A barrier or shield against this toxic energy will also become toxic. If you’re channelling the spell, the toxicity will follow the spell to the caster, and infiltrate your mind.”  
    
 “So,” a boy didn’t raise his hand before speaking, “How do you shield yourself from the Necrosis?”  
    
 “There are two options. One is forming a natural barrier. A fire elementalist might be able to create lava and let it harden on its own. Water elementalists might be able to do the same thing by freezing a wall of ice. That’s the first way, but the second option is the most common: You run, and you run fast.”  
    
    
 At the very back of the class, Rin crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair so his back was against the way. “And that,” he whispered, “Is what we usually end up doing.”  
    
 Makoto smiled. “Sousuke’s really serious about teaching, isn’t he?”  
    
 Rin shrugged. “Yeah. Though he wants to do this after the war… they won’t be teaching combat when that happens.”  
    
 “Hey Rin.” Makoto tilted his head. “Ever think about what you want to do when the war is over?”  
    
 Rin scoffed. “You mean _if_ the war ever ends…”  
   
 Makoto forced his smile. “If you had an option?”  
    
 “Just, I don’t know, live my life in peace, fuck The Eye.”  
    
 Haruka’s lips quipped into the smallest of smiles. “Yeah.”  
    
 Makoto blinked three, four times. “You too?”  
    
 Haruka nodded.  
    
 “Really? I mean, Haru, with your status you could go on the Council.”  
    
 “Don’t care,” Haruka muttered. “Doesn’t affect me.”  
    
 “You could, I don’t know, change the world.”  
    
 “Makoto. There’s nothing I want to change.”  
    
 “Hm.” Rin smiled. “Yeah, what about you?”  
    
 Makoto shrugged. “I’m not too sure…”  
    
 Haruka nudged his arm.  
    
 Makoto looked up to see Sousuke getting to the last slide.  
    
 “Ugh,” Rin grumbled, “Let’s just be quick about this meeting, okay?”  
    
 Haruka nodded.  
    
    
 The students took their time to file out, several of them asking staying behind to ask Sousuke questions. Miho had to tell them to scurry along because they had business. Since it was the end of the day, Miho closed the door and crashed in her chair. She let out a long, drawn-out sigh and looked at the four of them. “Sorry about that.”  
    
 Sousuke smiled. “I like your kids, enthusiastic.”  
    
 “Mhm.” Miho smiled as she pulled out her tablet. “They’re fun to teach.”  
    
 Rin cocked his head to the side. “Can we hurry this?”  
    
 “Alright, alright.” Miho shook her head. “We want to add someone to your squad.”  
    
 “No,” Rin stated.  
    
 Sousuke frowned. “Hear her out.”  
    
 Haruka tsk’d. “Last time…”  
    
 Rin sighed. “Are they even a full witch?”  
    
 “He is…” Miho pursed her lips. She felt the stares and sighed. “He has yet to be on a team, but he passed his exam with a score of ninety-eight point five. Just half a percent under you, Haruka.”  
    
 Haruka sighed. “So?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin put a hand on his hip. “I’m not trying to boast, but we’re one of the top teams. He has to work his way up.”  
    
 “Well, there is an issue there.” Miho sighed. “None of the other squads want him.”  
    
 Sousuke frowned. “What type is he? Specialty?”  
    
 “He’s a support type,” Miho explained, “Specialising in restoration and barriers, a solid medical unit. This war is getting worse… We need to deploy you guys more often, and we can’t lose any of you. You need a medic on your team—that is non-negotiable.”  
    
 Makoto pursed his lips. “But… Well, I understand and agree with that. We’ve all had close calls, and even had to suspend some missions due to injury. A medic would be wonderful, but… why not someone in our bracket? Why a fresh witch?”  
    
 “We,” Miho said firmly, “Think it would be best.”  
    
 “Fuck that,” Rin growled, “I don’t want some kid!”  
    
 Makoto put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s all least see him.”  
    
 “I agree.” Sousuke nodded. “He could be helpful.”  
    
 “No,” Rin barked.  
    
 “Hm.” Haruka looked out the window. “Is he…?”  
    
 The four of them stared at him.  
   
 Miho blinked. “Is he?”  
   
 “Alone.” Haruka looked at his teacher. “Is that why?”  
    
 “Well…” She scratched her cheek, and her eyes glanced to the classroom door.  
    
 It opened and a blond boy with pink eyes bowed. “H-Hazuki Nagisa. It’s an honour!”  
    
 Haruka’s eyes narrowed.  
    
 Rin walked across the room. “What the fuck?” He yanked the boy’s chin up.  
    
 “Rin!” Makoto took a step forward.  
    
 But Haruka raised his arm, stopping him.  
    
 Rin moved some of Nagisa’s hair out of his face and notice the blotch of lighter skin around his eye. A rune consisting of a star with a ring around it formed over the skin and cracked.  
    
 Nagisa closed his eyes, cringing. The spell he used to hide the wound disappeared and the black eye was revealed.  
    
 Rin tilted his head, knowing that it’s healing must have been accelerated by magic, but magic could only do so much. Nagisa was afraid to look him in the eye, Rin noted, most likely ashamed.  
    
 Makoto gasped. “What happened?”  
    
 Nagisa took a step back and hugged his arm. “N-Nothing!” He stared at the floor.  
    
 Sousuke frowned. “Did another student do that to you?”  
    
 “N-No.”  
    
 “Yes,” Haruka corrected.  
    
 “Yes,” Nagisa admitted.  
    
 Haruka scoffed and looked away. “Fine, I’ll take him.” He walked away from the others, looking out the window to the ocean view, disinterested.  
    
 Rin looked at Haruka, trying desperately to read whatever was going through his head. “Well I vote no, but I’m guessing it’s majority rules.”  
    
 Makoto smiled. “We need a medic.”  
    
 “I’m…” Nagisa looked down. “I’m not.” His hands crunched into fists. “N-Not weak.”  
    
 Sousuke walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about that, okay? We’re not taking you out of pity. Ninety-eight point five, on the support exam no less. If you can show that level of skill on the field, you’re more than welcome with us.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 The central nerve of The Eye existed between time and space, in two senses of the words. Its location was everywhere and nowhere, only accessible by portals and teleportation spells; it was an international island for witches. With the spell over the area, languages didn’t exist, either. Any word spoken or written was understandable by everyone, including sign language and braille. It was governed by the seven members of the High Council. There was one member for North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Oceanic Union, which included Australia, New Zealand, and several islands from around the world. The seventh member was the 91st Iris, herself.  
    
 The actual building kept up with times, always updating with every new digital invention. The countless libraries were digitalised (and as much as the older witches were against leaving paper behind, the search function won them over). The books themselves were still preserved and well kept, but mostly as relics of the past.  
    
 On the main floor, the second floor, of the central nerve was where all the vendors had set up their stores.  
    
 Rin had glanced to see if there was anything new, but he eventually made his way to the café called Corney-a Jokes. It was a busy place, but luckily they got to sit in the VIP lounge as senior members of The Eye. Nagisa wasn’t a senior member, but he followed them in. They sat in a circular booth, where the seats were comfortable, had pillows, and gave them enough room to lounge if they wanted.  
    
 “So,” Sousuke said with a smile. “Hello.”  
    
 “H-Hi.” Nagisa straightened his back, swallowing hard. The spell to cover his black eye was back up and nobody said anything about it.  
    
 Sousuke tapped the screen of the table and scrolled through the file Miho had sent him. “Going through your record now… it’s actually pretty impressive.”  
    
 Rin, who sat between Sousuke and Makoto, leaned over. “Let me see!”  
    
 Sousuke smiled. “Get your own.”  
    
 “No, fuck you.”  
    
 Makoto opened the file. “We can share here.”  
    
 “Nah, thanks, got Sousuke’s.”  
    
 Makoto laughed and glanced to his side. “Haru? Wanna see?”  
    
 Haruka just crossed his arms and looked away.  
    
 Nagisa looked at Haruka.  
    
 “Don’t take it personally,” Makoto assured, “Haru’s always like that.”  
    
 “Okay.” Nagisa smiled. He noticed the rings appeared on the table and he looked to the side to see a waitress coming with their drinks.  
    
 She put them down based on colour and smiled. “If you need anything else, Captain, let us know.”  
    
 Sousuke smiled. “Thank you.”  
    
 Nagisa tasted his and smiled. “That was quick. I usually have to wait in line _forever_ for a strawberry latte!”  
    
 “VIP.” Haruka grabbed his regular latte and took a sip. “Never had the strawberry one…”  
    
 “It’s good!” Nagisa grinned. “A place back home used to serve strawberry and sakura lattes, and they were coloured pink and…” Realising he was blabbing. “S-Sorry.”  
    
 “It’s fine.” Sousuke laughed softly. “We want to get to know you, too. I guess we should make proper introductions. I’m Sousuke Yamazaki, people call me Captain a lot, obviously since I’m the captain of the team.”  
    
 Nagisa nodded. “It’s nice to meet you!”  
    
 “Likewise.” Sousuke glanced to the side. “The silent one is Haru, Haruka Nanase. He’s our technomage.”  
    
 “Tch.” Haruka cocked his head away.  
    
 Makoto burst into a giggle fit while Rin snorted.  
    
 Sousuke grinned. “He hates that term. But he’s our main caster, really; he can pump out more spells per minute than anyone else in The entire Eye. He’s also got a thing for building gadgets, an engineer of sorts. In his spare time he made Makoto’s weapon, and heavily refined mine. He’s an elementalist, specialty is water. Seeing him fight… is, wicked.”  
    
 Haruka just sipped his drink, as if he wasn’t a part of the conversation.  
    
 Sousuke then reached over and messed up Rin’s hair.  
    
 “Hey!” Rin shouted, elbowing him in the chest.  
    
 “Oof!” Sousuke grinned. “This is the baby of the group, RinRin.”  
    
 “Oy!”  
    
 “Rin, Sousuke,” Makoto warned. “Play nice.”  
    
 Rin huffed.  
    
 Sousuke chuckled. “Rin Matsuoka, he’s also a heavy caster, also Elemental but a fire specialist. He’s also amazing at rituals and incantations. He once held four rituals at the same time. His ability to commune and understand spirits, living, dead, and natural, is unparalleled.”  
    
 “Well.” Rin smiled. “I _am_ awesome.”  
    
 Nagisa laughed.  
    
 Makoto rolled his eyes. “I’m Makoto, Makoto Tachibana.”  
    
 “H-Hi.” Nagisa dipped his head.  
    
 “Makoto’s a good mix of mental and physical ability,” Sousuke went on, “He’s a shade, of light. Kind of a jack of all trades, master of none deal, but he deals a lot with information, tactics, strategies, finding openings. If Makoto issues an order, he speaks with my authority.”  
    
 Nagisa nodded, committing that to memory. “A-And what about you, Yamazaki-san?”  
    
 “Sousuke’s fine.” He grinned. “I’m a close combat kind of guy, smash things with my sword. Works better for me. I’m not bad at casting either, just not on these guys’ level. I do deal with enchanting, though. All the necklaces and rings you see on these guys are because of me.”  
    
 Haruka raised his hand, showing the ring on his pointer finger. “Mirror images.”  
    
 Rin raised the three amulets around his neck. “Focus, mainly.”  
    
 Makoto showed off his bracelet. “Avoidance.”  
    
 Nagisa smiled. “That’s so cool! Are you, a shade or an elementalist?”  
    
 “Shade. I’m a dark shade.”  
    
 “Oh.” Nagisa blinked. “So, fire and water, and then light and darkness.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “We even each other out, but.” He looked down at Nagisa’s file. “I’ll admit we need a support type. So.” He reached over Sousuke, despite protest, and scrolled through Nagisa’s file. “Mainly restoration and barriers, huh.”  
    
 “Mhm.” Sousuke frowned. “Since _some of us_ can’t cast proper shields.”  
    
 Haruka scoffed a laugh.  
    
 Rin shoved his back against his seat and snatched Makoto’s green tea and took a sip.  
    
 Makoto rolled his eyes, saying nothing about it, but smiled. “We all have strengths and weaknesses.”  
    
 “That’s true.” Sousuke nodded. “So, what are your sensory abilities like?”  
    
 “Uh, well, I scored ninety-six percent on the exam,” Nagisa admitted. “That’s what brought my mark down, since I had perfect scores in restoration and barriers, but… I’ve heard that good marks on the exam doesn’t mean you’re any good on the field.”  
    
 “Kind of,” Haruka muttered. Since he actually talked, they all stared at him. “The field is… random. Things fly from all directions. You’ll be overwhelmed until you can differentiate us from the enemy, and each other.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Makoto gave a gentle smile. “That’s something you’ll have to develop, but once you get the hang of that, it’s pretty much the same thing.”  
    
 Rin shrugged. “You don’t have to be on the field for that, though. Just being around us gets you accustomed to the texture of our spirit essence.”  
    
 “You’ll do fine,” Sousuke assured. “Do you have anything else?”  
    
 Nagisa blinked. “Huh?”  
    
 “I can do rituals great,” Rin explained, “Haru’s an engineer, Makoto does info, Sousuke does enchanting.”  
    
 “O-Oh.” Nagisa shook his head. “Not really…”  
    
 “Hn.” Haruka closed his eyes. “It’s fine.”  
    
 Nagisa blinked at him.  
    
 “I didn’t start tinkering with devices until a year into it. You’ll find yours eventually.”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes brightened and he smiled. “Th-Thank you.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 The five of them were dressed in black cloaks, enchanted to blend in with their surroundings. They were in the tall grass fields outside Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. They moved like shadows through the night. Makoto created feathers of glimmering light that burst a surge of wind, guiding them to the top of a two story building.  
    
 “I don’t understand,” Nagisa whispered. “I know witches don’t deal with human wars, but everyone in The Eye wants the Union to win… Lithuania is part of the Union.”  
    
 “Yes and no,” Sousuke’s voice was low. “Witchcraft isn’t supposed to be used this way.”  
    
 “War is a human problem,” Rin continued, “We stop any witches who interfere in human conflicts.”  
    
 Makoto nodded. “This coven is a growing problem, gaining some small political power, too. It’s a short term solution for the war, but the long-term effects will be the downfall of all of us.”  
    
 “Right.” Nagisa nodded, understanding.  
    
 Haruka reached in his cloak, pulling out two handguns. “Plan?”  
    
 Sousuke focused. “Probably don’t need all of us, unless it goes to shit. How many did they have, Makoto?”  
    
 “The data said about ten-ish, but I can’t be certain.”  
    
 Sousuke nodded and looked at Nagisa. “Sense.”  
    
 “Uh, sure, but.” Nagisa looked at him. “Won’t they be able to trace it back to me…? I don’t know how to sense with invisibility… sorry.”  
    
 “It’s cool,” Rin said with a smile. He opened his pack of reagents and pulled out a vial of small grains. “I wish I had fresh leaves, but this’ll do. Amaranth,” he said as he pulled out a lighter with his other hand, “Has been used for years for invisibility. It’s a really great flower–”  
    
 “Uh,” Makoto interrupted, “Actually it’s a herb…”  
    
 “Shush.” Rin guided the fire from the lighter into the vial with his mind and the grains slowly began to burn. He closed his eyes and imagined the cloud swirling around Nagisa, Intent. He blocked out all sound and zoomed in on that image, Focus. Sucking in air in, he breathed out—Will.  
    
 A snake of smoke shot out of the vial and spun around Nagisa.  
    
 Rin opened his eyes. “You’re good; do your thing.”  
    
 Nagisa hesitated, but nodded once. He put his hands together and closed his eyes. Reality splitting, his third eye opened.  
    
 Haruka froze.  
    
 Sousuke stared.  
    
 Makoto’s eyes widened.  
    
 Rin frowned. “The fuck?”  
    
 “Fourteen.” Nagisa looked at them. “What?”  
    
 “Y-Your…” Makoto began, but couldn’t finish.  
    
 “The third eye doesn’t exist in our reality,” Sousuke muttered. “But yours is… open?”  
    
 “O-Oh, yeah.” Nagisa nodded. “I’ve learned to bring it into this reality. Kinda cool, huh?”  
    
 “Fourteen.” Haruka checked his ammo clips before shoving them back in. “I’ll take care of them. Give me the order, Captain.”  
    
 Rin stood up. “Let me help.”  
    
 “Tch.” Haruka looked away.  
    
 “Stealthwise,” Sousuke rationalised, “Haruka’s the best. He should go alone. If things go wrong, I’ll send you in.”  
    
 The black cloak around Haru swirled and then broke into blobs of water, until he, himself, disappeared. The water that once was Haruka, swam to the building in question, slipping through the front entrance.  
    
 Rin stared at Nagisa. “Your eye’s still open.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Nagisa nodded. He looked at the shed and his eyes widened as he watched the witches drop, one by one. “Wow, he’s good!”  
    
 ‘ _Nagisa._ ’  
    
 Nagisa stood up, looking left and right. “Nanase?”  
    
 ‘ _Did I get them all?_ ’  
    
 Nagisa nodded. “Y-Yeah. You’re good.”  
    
 Haruka appeared again next to them. “Mission complete.”  
   
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 The waitress walked over to the table in the VIP lounge. Not seeing a ring on the table, she blinked. “One strawberry and sakura latte?”  
    
 Nagisa’s head perked up. “Huh?”  
    
 Rin smiled. “Yeah it’s his. I ordered it for him.”  
    
 She put it down and smiled before leaving.  
    
 Nagisa grinned and grabbed the drink; it was bright pink, but so warm when he sipped it. Espresso, strawberries, warm milk, and cherry blossoms. When he moved the cup away, he had a pink foam moustache that he licked away with his tongue. “Thank you, Rin!”  
    
 “You’re welcome.” Rin smiled. It was only the two of them, sitting on opposite sides of the table. He grabbed his own drink, a white chocolate mocha. “I asked them if they could make it, they said yeah. You could probably order it whenever you want now.”  
    
 Nagisa’s smiled widened.  
    
 Rin scratched the back of his head. “But, I don’t want to get off topic or anything…” He sipped his drink. “You’ve been on our squad for four months. You can talk to me.”  
    
 Nagisa put his drink down. “I just… Sorry, I know it was out of the blue, but I was just really confused and needed to talk to you, since you’re very close to Haruka, right?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 “And, Makoto?”  
    
 “Yep. Four of us grew up together.”  
    
 “Oh.” Nagisa looked down. “Makoto’s… very kind, isn’t he?”  
    
 “Yep. One of the nicest people I know. Why?”  
    
 “I saw Makoto getting… I mean, he got… violent.”  
    
 Rin’s eyes opened and he leaned forward. “What? Huh? What happened!?”  
    
 “W-Well not violent, but…” Nagisa put his hands around his drink and swallowed hard. “Um… some of, my old classmates… They kinda got jealous that I was on one of the senior squads, so they cornered me…”  
    
 Rin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to say anything else, I get it.”  
    
 “Huh?” Nagisa blinked. “How do you know what I am going to say?”  
    
 “Well… I can put details together. You were bullied, right?”  
    
 Nagisa nodded.  
    
 “Was it bad?”  
    
 “Y-Yeah…”  
    
 “Nagisa.” Rin smiled. “Makoto’s really, really gentle… but when he has someone he wants to protect, nothing gets in his way.”  
    
 “M-Me?” Nagisa blinked. “He wants to protect me?”  
    
 “Well, duh.”  
    
 “I-I guess that makes sense… I am his teammate.”  
    
 “Oh you fucking dork.” Rin rolled his eyes. “Do I have to spell it out for you?”  
    
 “Huh?”  
    
 “You know… we kind of like you. You’re our friend, you dumb shit.”  
    
 “M-Me?” Nagisa blinked. “R-R… Really?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin smiled. “You don’t think so?”  
    
 “Well… Makoto’s been… avoiding me.”  
    
 “Oh, yeah, I guess he would. He’s probably ashamed, and he probably overreacted, right?”  
    
 “Well, a little.” Nagisa nodded, then glanced to the side. “They deserved it…”  
    
 “Hey.” Sousuke put his bag down and looked between them. “I’m not… interrupting anything, am I? Mind if I sit?”  
    
 “That’s up to Nagisa,” Rin said plainly.  
    
 “No. I mean yes. I mean—Sit!” Nagisa chugged his drink.  
    
 Rin snorted.  
    
 Sousuke grinned and tapped the table to order a drink. “What’s up?”  
    
 “We’re talking,” Rin explained.  
    
 “Well don’t mind me, go on.”  
    
 Nagisa looked at Rin, giving him a nod that it was okay.  
    
 “Well, Haru’s going to get mad at me for saying this, but… I guess the short version is he was picked on a lot.”  
    
 “Huh?” Nagisa’s eyes widened. “People bullied Haruka?”  
    
 “Not in The Eye, but normal school, yeah. Shoved in lockers, thrown down stairs, the whole works.” Rin sighed. “When he was thirteen, he was pretty much suicidal.”  
    
 Sousuke tensed and rubbed his neck. “Yeah, I was in his grade. If Makoto wasn’t there…”  
    
 Nagisa looked between the two, eyes widening.  
    
 “But he was.” Rin smiled. “Makoto’s that kind of person. He’s lost people, and he’s come close to losing more. He just, naturally wants to protect everyone he cares about. That’s you too.”  
    
 “And Rin,” Sousuke muttered.  
    
 “Hey!”  
    
 “Well, if you’re telling them about how they picked on Haru…”  
    
 “Shut up!”  
    
 “It’s probably only fair to tell him they picked on you too.”  
    
 “Yeah, yeah, whatever!” Rin crossed his arms. “Shut the fuck up!”  
    
 Nagisa burst into a giggle fit.  
    
 Rin and Sousuke stared at him.  
    
 Nagisa tried to calm down, but that only made it worse. He covered his mouth, but still snerked. “S-Sorry!”  
    
 Rin huffed and looked away.  
    
 Sousuke laughed as well. “You know, that’s the first time I think I’ve seen you let go.”  
    
 Nagisa paused.  
    
 “He’s right.” Rin smirked. “It’s cute.”  
    
 “Sh-Shut up!” Nagisa grabbed a pillow and threw it at Rin.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Unlike the countries at the southern end of the continent, northern Africa remained neutral in the war. Sadly, that meant a lot of rogue witches fled to the area.  
   
 None of the five of them knew where they were, exactly, but they were somewhere in the Sahara Desert. Uninhabited, the strong winds whirled the sand and dirt in the blazing blue sky. They had stripped to minimal armour.  
    
 Sousuke was wearing the most, in his black leather combat suit, with metal shoulder pads; although, his gear was enchanted to stabilise internal temperatures. In his hand was a two-handed blade, wide and thick; at the centre of the blade was a carved out circle, with runes changing constantly.  
    
 Makoto was wearing a sleeveless green vest, with brown khakis. In his hand was a long blade, but thin. It had several teeth, and it was steampunk in style but made of black metal, with a green line running along the length. Haruka had designed it with several gears and spindles, and a hand guard on the long handle as well.  
    
 Haruka had tossed his cape in the wind an hour ago, leaving him only in a black shirt, black pants, handguns in his hands, and all kinds of gadgets on his belt.  
    
 Nagisa had donned a pink t-shirt and shorts, needing nothing else.  
    
 Rin had brought a jacket, but that had been burned away by a shadow bolt. He was only in a torn red shirt and jeans, pockets filled with reagents.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Makoto shouted as he ran forward. “There should be an old grave site in this area!”  
    
 “Shit,” Haruka muttered.  
    
 Nagisa projected his mind forward and gasped. “Yeah! He’s already pulling the bones out! He’s building constructs!”  
    
 In front of them, three skeletal monsters were being forged, each one the size of a ten story building.  
    
 Sousuke frowned. “Are they dependant?”  
    
 “No!” Nagisa traced their magics. “Killing the witch won’t bring the constructs down!”  
    
 “Makoto.” Sousuke had to slow down as they slid down the hill of sand. “You and Haru take care of the constructs; guard Haru as he demolishes them. Rin and I will focus on the caster. Nagisa, take care of Makoto and Haruka; we’ll be fine!”  
    
 Nagisa nodded and swallowed hard.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 The battle had raged on for ten minutes, and they were getting nowhere. The three constructs were massive skeletons from the waist up. They had ribcages the size of hockey stadiums. Each one had a head, where their eyes fired beams, and tails which were made of clumped up bones, looking like a scorpion’s stinger.  
    
 Haruka had mainly focused on taking out the eyes first. It was with another explosion, that he ‘blinded’ one of the constructs.  
    
 A beam fired at him.  
    
 Haruka back flipped off a rib and landed on another one, watching a beam shatter the bone he was just standing on.  
    
 A tail went to pierce him.  
    
 He jumped and it crashed against the construct he was standing on. He landed on the tail and ran along the length of it. He aimed his left handgun at the eye and fired once. The bullet was charged with his spirit essence; and, on impact, blue fire blasted against the monster, obliterating another eye.  
    
 Another tail went for him from below.  
    
 Haruka jumped and aimed down.  
    
 He fired.  
    
 The bullet turned to ice on impact, freezing the entire tail.  
    
 Haruka landed on the ice, sliding down. He spun on the slippery surface, twirling his body, firing in every direction.  
    
 Blue explosions broke bone after bone after bone.  
    
 When he got to the end of the tail, he saw Makoto and nodded at him. He jumped up, switching places.  
    
 Makoto clicked the button on his blade, and the ‘teeth’ of his sword spun like a chainsaw. He slammed his blade down on the tail, cracking the bone and digging into it before breaking it off.  
    
 A beam fired at him.  
    
 “Makoto!” Haruka shouted.  
    
 Makoto looked up to see a pink barrier block the blast.  
    
 “Hn!” Nagisa cringed, holding the spell. “Move!”  
    
 Makoto jumped to the ground and the barrier shattered, but he was safe.  
    
 Haruka made his way to the shoulder of another construct and pulled the trigger, but nothing came. “Shit.” He realised he was out and ejected the ammo clip. It was clear, completely transparent, and empty. “Makoto! Nagisa!”  
    
 Nagisa dodged a beam and channeled his essence into his hand. He swiped his hand and launched a pink blast at Haruka.  
    
 Makoto gathered light in his hand and stretched out his arm, firing a golden beam from his palm.  
    
 Haruka’s hand was glowing blue when the pink and gold slammed into the clear clip. Haruka forged bullets from their raw energy and shoved it back in his handgun. He put his second handgun next to it and the gears on his guns began to spin, equilibrating the magic.  
    
 “Haru!” Nagisa called out.  
    
 Haruka looked up to see a beam heading his way and he jumped up onto the constructs shoulder, then again onto its head.  
    
 Makoto surged a beam of light at the eye, causing it to burst.  
    
 Haruka could sense they were running out of spirit essence. Knowing he had to finish it quick, he jumped off the head of the construct to the empty space between all three. Whirling in the air, he fired; a single ‘bullet’ exploded in blues, yellows, and pinks, shattering half the skull of the massive creations. He fired for the necks of them, destroying their ribs and shattering what was keeping them together. He unloaded round after round, explosion followed explosion, until there was no magic left in his guns. At that point, he closed his eyes and fell to the ground.  
    
 Makoto jumped off a construct and caught Haruka midair. “Stop throwing yourself!”  
    
 “You’ll catch me,” Haruka pointed out.  
    
 Makoto aimed his free hand down and a blast of feathers, made of white light, slowed their descent.  
    
 Haruka looked around, watching two of the three constructs begin to crumble. “Where’s Rin?”  
    
 Makoto pointed up. “There!”  
    
 The head of the third construct was removed, leaving the broad shoulders as their battlefield.  
    
 The witch was wearing a dim purple cloak, and three spheres of darkness hovered around him. He fired all three forward.  
    
 Sousuke blocked with the flat of his blade; the rune at the centre of his weapon sucked in the spell, and Sousuke released them back in a slash.  
    
 The witch jumped over the spells and fired bolts of black lightning.  
    
 Sousuke dodged.  
    
 Rin attacked from the other side. He had three serpent dragons, made of fire, swirling around him. He sent two forward to bite, while the third unleashed a stream of fire.  
    
 The witch slipped between the two serpents and shielded himself from the flame. He gathered his magic and slammed the bone beneath him. His magic trailed the ‘ground’ until it was under Rin.  
    
 A fist launched upwards and slammed Rin’s chest.  
    
 Rin was thrown off the construct and he had caught a glimpse of pale white before one of the scorpion tails slashed his stomach open. Blood burst from his body. His eyes widened, vision beginning to fade. He crashed on the rib of the construct and he closed his eyes.  
    
 A hand pressed on his stomach.  
    
 Rin’s eyes opened.  
    
 Nagisa’s hands were glowing pink. “Don’t die!”  
    
 Rin coughed. “N-Nagi…”  
    
 “No buts!” Nagisa shouted, eyes shaking.  
    
 Behind Nagisa, the tail lifted itself up and thrust itself forward, aiming for the two of them.  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “N-Nagi!”  
    
 Nagisa kept one hand on Rin’s stomach, while his other launched in the other direction. A pink barrier made of several hexagons formed between them and the tail.  
    
 But the tail couldn’t be stopped. It broke through it, but the barrier was slowing it down. It crunched its way forward, pushing inch by inch, coming closer to them.  
    
 Nagisa closed his eyes as he tried to keep both spells going.  
    
 The sound of a chainsaw gave him hope.  
    
 Makoto plunged his blade down on the tail, breaking it.  
    
 Haruka’s bullets fired from below, blasting the tail off into the sky.  
    
 Nagisa broke his barrier and looked back at Rin. “Don’t you fucking die on me!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “RinRin!”  
    
 Rin looked over his shoulder as the footsteps raced forward. Before he could even register the blond hair and pink eyes, he felt Nagisa jump on his back. The impact threw him forward and he had to take several steps to get balance again. “Holy shit!” He grabbed Nagisa’s legs in a piggyback ride. “Are you trying to put me back in the medical ward?”  
    
 Nagisa wrapped his arms around Rin and pushed his forehead against the back of his neck. “I was… scared.”  
    
 Rin’s expression softened.  
    
 “I didn’t… I thought you were going to…”  
    
 “You, heh, Nagi, you were amazing out there.”  
    
 Nagisa raised his head. “Huh?”  
    
 “You’re the reason I made it out alive, Nagisa, you fucking… penguin of terror.”  
    
 Nagisa laughed and nuzzled the back of Rin’s neck. “Really?”  
    
 “Hell yeah.”  
    
 “Rin.” He hugged him tighter. “Would it be weird if I said you’re kinda like an older brother to me?”  
    
 Rin blinked. “Not really… I mean, it’s kinda true…”  
    
 “Really?” Nagisa cocked his head to the side. “So you think of me as your little brother?”  
    
 “Hm.” Rin looked down. “You’re actually my sister’s age. You remind me of her, a little bit. When you two whine, you sound identical.”  
    
 Nagisa cackled. “You have a sister? Why haven’t I met her?”  
    
 Rin didn’t reply.  
    
 Nagisa’s smile faded. “That’s okay! You don’t have to tell me, RinRin. I’m just really glad I met you guys.”  
    
 “I’m glad they convinced me to take you.”  
    
 “Huh?” Nagisa pouted. “You didn’t want me?”  
    
 Rin began walking to the café. “Not really.”  
    
 Nagisa gasped.  
    
 “You don’t remember? Well, neither did Haru at first, but… he turned around. I think it’s because you had a really high score. I mean, Sousuke, Makoto, and I all scored high, but none of us broke ninety percent. From what I got from Haru, I think he knows it’s lonely at the top.”  
    
 Nagisa rested his chin on Rin’s shoulder.  
    
 “But, in our own way…” Rin thought about Sousuke and Makoto. “All five of us are kinda like outcasts.”  
    
 “Huh?” Nagisa squeezed him super hard, despite protests. “So we’re kind of like a family!”  
    
 “Pfft. You dumbass.”  
   
 “What? What?”  
   
 “Nothing. Yeah… Family.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 All of them were buried under layers and layers of clothes. The frozen winds of Antarctica shoved snow and ice in their eyes, and sent chills to their bones.  
    
 “Nagisa,” Sousuke yelled over the winds. “This is your first time fighting a Chrysalis?”  
    
 “Yeah!” Nagisa cringed. “I’ll just give support!”  
    
 “Watch out when it bursts!” Makoto yelled. “The Necrosis will kill you!”  
    
 Nagisa nodded. “I’ll use a barrier!”  
    
 “No!” Haruka cut in.  
    
 Rin paled. “If it touches magic, it corrupts it! Barriers can’t be channeled!”  
    
 “I’ll take care of it!” Haruka yelled. “Ice is easy to manipulate here!”  
    
 Nagisa nodded. “Okay!”  
    
 Sousuke put a hand on Nagisa’s shoulder. “You need to steel your emotions! Chrysalises drain energy from witches; and if you’re feeling any emotions, good ones or bad ones, it will eat you up faster!”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened.  
    
 “Hey,” Makoto called out, “It’s okay! We’re here!”  
    
 Rin nodded. “All of us!”  
    
 Haruka just gave him a nod.  
    
 “All of us,” Nagisa repeated. “I have Mako-chan and Haru-chan!”  
    
 Makoto blinked.  
    
 Haruka just stared.  
    
 “And Captain-chan!”  
    
 Sousuke snorted.  
    
 Nagisa looked to the redhead. “And RinRin!”  
    
 “Hey!”  
    
 “Okay, fine: RinRin-chan!”  
    
 “I’ll fucking kill you before we fight this Chrysalis!”  
    
 The five of them burst into laughter—silenced by the roar of the darkness in front of them.  
    
 Sousuke focused. “Let’s do this!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “It just…” Nagisa looked at the tablet in his hand. “It feels so weird, almost wrong.”  
    
 Besides Sousuke, the team had gathered in one of the briefing rooms, despite not having a mission.  
    
 “You earned it,” Haruka muttered.  
    
 “You’ve been on our team for a year,” Makoto pointed out. “Are you really that surprised we’re all the same rank now?”  
    
 “Well, yeah…” Nagisa looked at him, then Haru, then Rin. “It’s just… you guys are so much better than I am, and I just can’t believe I got promoted to senior status.”  
    
 “You better have,” Rin grumbled. “I sat on that painful chair for an hour for your ceremony.”  
    
 Nagisa laughed. “You guys all looked really uncomfortable…” He looked around. “Where’s Captain-chan?”  
    
 Haruka, still not used to Nagisa’s twist on the everyday nickname, snerked and looked away.  
    
 Makoto grinned. “He’s got to fill some paperwork, since he was your senior until today. He’s still our captain, but outside missions we’re all equals now.”  
    
 Nagisa cringed. “That’s so wrong…”  
    
 Rin laughed and leaned against the wall. “Maybe we should find a way to help beat it into your head?”  
    
 “Huh?” Nagisa blinked. “What do you mean?”  
    
 Haruka graced them with one of his rare smiles. “It’s your eighteenth birthday soon.”  
    
  Makoto blinked. “Oh that’s right! We should have a party!”  
    
 “Strawberry cake!” Nagisa yelled. “I want strawberry cake!”  
    
 Makoto grinned. “Okay, I’ll bake you one!”  
    
 “Oh!” Nagisa put his hands together. “Maybe we can all go to the beach?”  
    
 All the smiles faded.  
    
 Nagisa blinked. “O-Okay, no beach!”  
    
 “S-Sorry.” Rin pushed himself off the wall. “We can go if you want… It’s just…”  
    
 Nagisa smiled. “It’s okay! You don’t have to tell me anything.”  
    
 “You’re one of us,” Rin pointed out, “It’s not fair you’re the only one who knows. It’s just… going to the beach, was…”  
    
 “It was Kou’s dream,” Haruka supplied. Rin didn’t say anything, but he knew Rin was thankful he didn’t have to say it himself. “Rin’s sister.”  
    
 “Maybe when this war is over…” Makoto smiled. “They might start giving day passes again, for psions who show excellent control. Then we can all go together!”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened. “Your sister is…”  
    
 Rin looked away.  
    
 “I-I’m sorry!” Nagisa put his hands to his mouth. “That was really rude! I just wasn’t, like, expecting… a psion. Shit. Sorry! I’m not helping!”  
    
 “It’s okay.” Rin smiled. He walked over and tousled Nagisa’s hair. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. But, yeah. Makoto’s right, they used to have day passes for a few psions, since being disconnected from the world only makes them worse. And it’s kind of an incentive for them to keep control, I guess.”  
    
 Haruka crossed his arms. “When did you last see her?”  
    
 “Huh?” Rin turned to him. “Oh, about four months ago? After I got out of the hospital.”  
    
 Nagisa tilted his head. “How often do you see her?”  
    
 “Well, before the war I used to see her once a month, minimum. Now… I’m lucky if I see her once a season. I told her about you, though.”  
    
 Nagisa blinked. “You did?”  
    
 “She wants to meet you.” Rin smiled. “And I’d like you to meet her, too. If you’re up for it.”  
    
 “Yeah!” Nagisa hopped up and down. “Oh, and maybe when we get some time off, you guys can meet my family too.”  
    
 Haruka blinked.  
    
 Makoto grinned. “I’d love to!”  
    
 “Yeah!” Nagisa grinned. “I just thought about how I’ve met Makoto’s family and Sousuke’s family, and Rin wants to introduce me to his sis’, so you guys should meet mine.” He suddenly turned to Haruka, realising he was the only who—  
    
 “Mine’s dead.” Haruka’s face didn’t even change. “Died on the same day Rin’s parents did.”  
    
 Nagisa froze.  
    
 “Haru,” Makoto muttered.  
    
 Haruka shrugged. “What difference does it make? I lost them, but I have family. Makoto’s parents took me in. And I have Sousuke, and Rin, and Kou, and you.”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened. “Haru-chan…”  
    
 Rin sighed. “A psion killed our parents, and Haru’s. That’s why when Gou realised what she was… she turned herself in.”  
    
 Nagisa looked at him and grabbed his arm. “Then we _have_ to take her to the beach!”  
    
 Rin snorted. “Sure. Just watch out for Haru.”  
    
 Haruka’s right eye twitched.  
    
 Makoto laughed. “He’ll be in the water for eight hours straight if we let him.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 As months passed, they completed over a hundred missions. However, as the war worsened, their main focus became Chrysalises. Together, the five of them had taken down over two dozen of them. For people who already had a reputation, they were now considered heroes. Every vendor gave them discounts, everybody offered to buy them a drink. They were heroes. They were veterans. They knew how to steel themselves.  
    
 Most Chrysalises barely grew from start to finish of the fight.  
    
 That didn’t mean all of the ones they fought were weak and immature.  
    
 Some of the Chrysalises, like their current target, were fully developed before they even arrived.  
    
 With six legs, two arms, and a long, bladed tail, the Chrysalis’ face had developed two tongues and eight horns. It was a monstrous black creature, with lines of white fire running down it’s body. Its skin was hard as rock, armour.  
    
 They were in an uninhabited mountainous part of eastern Mexico, notable for underground crystal caves. When the Chrysalis brought its tail down, the ground broke and they were buried under rubble. Even the beast screamed from the painful fall, crystals piercing its flesh.  
    
 When the dust cleared, Rin forced himself to his feet. “Makoto? Sousuke?”  
    
 “H-Here.”  
    
 “I’m good!”  
    
 Haruka looked around “Nagisa?” No response. “Nagisa!”  
    
 “Makoto!” Sousuke shouted, grabbing a boulder. “Help me out here!”  
    
 Makoto gasped and ran over, pulling the bloody rock off the blond before throwing it aside.  
    
 One of Nagisa’s arms was covered red, and he rolled over to cough out blood.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Makoto shouted.  
    
 Rin dropped next to him.  
    
 Nagisa forced himself to breathe. “St-Stop. It feeds…”  
    
 Realising they let go of their emotions, they steeled themselves.  
    
 Sousuke stared at the monster that was trying to right itself back up. “Hm.”  
    
 “Yeah,” Haruka muttered.  
    
 Nagisa looked up. “What is it?” His pink eyes widened.  
    
 The Chrysalis had grown even further.  
    
 Rin looked around the cave. “If it goes through Necrosis here…”  
    
 “Nowhere to run,” Sousuke muttered as he looked around as well. He pulled out his blade and grabbed it with both hands. “So… guess this is our last stand.”  
    
 Nagisa forced himself to his feet, hand glowing pink as he healed himself.  
    
 Rin frowned. “Guess so…”  
    
 “Haru, if we die here then… I have to say it.” Makoto looked at him. “I-I… I love you.”  
    
 Rin blinked.  
    
 Haruka glanced at him and smiled. “I know.” He cupped Makoto’s face and brought their lips together. Their kiss was short, chaste, and they looked each other in the eyes before they smiled.  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened, but he reminded himself there was a Chrysalis feeding. “Focus.”  
    
 Nagisa wanted to smile, but he fought it back.  
    
 “Okay.” Sousuke squeezed his sword. “Congrats you two, was waiting for it to happen, but we still have a fight left.”  
    
 “Right.” Makoto readied his blade.  
    
 Haruka pulled out his guns.  
    
 They moved. Sousuke slashed through the flesh, Makoto’s blade broke joints with ease, while Rin conjured twin jets of fire to take it down from afar, Haruka unloading round after round until all his magic was spent.  
    
 “Rin!” Haruka tossed both his guns.  
    
 Rin caught them and charged them with his fire before throwing them back.  
    
 Like a boomerang, they returned to their owner and the gears on his gun began to spin. “Frostfire,” Haruka muttered before firing.  
    
 Blazing ice pierced the Chrysalis’ main body.  
    
 “There!” Nagisa shouted. “Core exposure! Take it down!”  
    
 Makoto and Sousuke jumped back, knowing melee range was suicide.  
    
 Makoto plunged his blade in the earth and used both hands to surge every light he had left inside him into one, final beam.  
    
 The rune on Sousuke’s blade changed and he fired a blast of purple darkness.  
    
 Rin’s skin began to burn as he unleashed the hell he had inside him; claws of fire shot out of his soul.  
    
 Haruka let go of his guns, letting them levitate above him and fill him with magic as he fired mixed energy at the core.  
    
 When it broke, like glass, Nagisa smiled. “All of you…”  
    
 They looked back at him.  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes were wide, filled with tears. “Thank you. For giving me a chance to be here.”  
    
 “You’re a member of our team,” Rin snarked. “Why don’t you get that?”  
    
 Nagisa gathered all his magic and smiled. “No I just mean…” He laughed before running past them. He turned and clasped his hands together.  
    
 “Nagisa?” Haruka’s eyes widened with realisation.  
    
 Large pink hexagons formed between them and him.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Sousuke yelled.  
    
 “There’s, no reason for all of us to die.” Nagisa smiled. “None of you have any magic left, so… it has to be me.”  
    
 The Chrysalis began to convulse behind him, condensing itself into a bomb.  
    
 “No!” Haruka pulled out his guns and fired.  
    
 Rational thought, lost, Rin tried to cast a spell, but he had nothing. “Nagisa!”  
    
 “I love you guys.” Nagis’s smile turned into a grin. “I wasn’t originally with The Eye, but I wanted to learn, and see the outside world! It was selfish, but I left my family to follow what I thought was my dream… But when I got here, nobody liked me, not even my teachers…  I studied, I studied so hard… because I wanted to make sure that I didn’t leave my family for nothing. I wanted to make sure, that I wasn’t wasting my time!”  
    
 “Nagisa!” Makoto slammed the shield with his hand.  
    
 “That’s why I love you guys—for giving me the chance no one else did! I was just a stupid kid to everyone, but to you guys… I was family!” Nagisa grinned. “I’ve never been happier in my life! If I can give my life, for you guys, and for my other family, right now, then I know my life isn’t wasted! I’m just a kid, I might not know much… but I know, without a doubt, I love you guys.”  
    
 The Chrysalis began to bubble and steam, shaking the entire cave by its sheer force.  
    
 “There’s a boy back home I kind of have a crush on… Tell him I’m sorry, okay?” His eyes brimmed with tears, but he kept smiling. “Just, please… Kill me befo—”  
    
 Sound turned to shaking screeches.Vision became white. The Chrysalis burst, smacking black blotches all over the pink shield.  
    
 Nagisa grabbed his head and screamed. Black blood began to fall from his right eye, but he held the barrier, taking the waves madness.  
    
 “Nagi…” Rin’s vision was blurry from tears, but he put his hands on the shield, trying to lean as close as he can.  
    
 The barrier shattered.  
    
 Nagisa stayed still for a moment, then shifted to the side.  
    
 Lifeless, his body fell to the ground.  
    
 Sparkling remnants of the barrier, pink and black crystals, hovered in the air.  
   
 The Chrysalis’ body hardened into stone.  
    
 Makoto was the first to move, dropping next to Nagisa, cradling him in his arms. Nagisa’s skin had fully absorbed the toxic energy, so he was safe to touch. The sob came out in a sniffle and Makoto couldn’t stop himself from the floodgates that shattered.  
    
 Rin dropped to the floor in front of them, looking at how half of Nagisa’s face had turned a blue-black.  
    
 Sousuke covered his face, turning away as he choked.  
    
 Haruka stared, eyes wide.  
    
 “Nagisa,” Makoto whispered. “Why?”  
    
 Sousuke wiped his tears on his sleeve, unable to stop them from falling.  
    
 Rin smacked the ground, punching the earth over and over and over again. “Why?”  
    
 Haruka dropped to his knees.  
    
 Rin felt a crack in his hand, but he punched the earth again. “Why are humans such idiots? Why do we have wars? What the fuck are we doing with our lives!?”  
    
 “Rin,” Sousuke raised his voice, but it died to a quiet whisper, “Enough.”  
    
 Rin glared at him. “Witches, give our lives to k-keep the order of the spirits balanced, so that this planet and humanity isn’t overrun with its own fuck ups! But… why? Wh-Why are we cleaning _their_ mess? Why do we have to do this, for them?” His red eyes brimmed with tears and he wiped them away. “I’ve seen so many witches die, but…? Why…? What are we even fighting for, Sousuke?”  
    
 “I don’t know!” Sousuke yelled back. “I… don’t know.”  
   
 Makoto gasped. “He’s…” He pulled away. “His heart is still… beating.”  
    
 Haruka stood up and pulled out his gun.  
    
 “Haru!” Sousuke shouted.  
    
 “Have to,” Haruka whispered. “We…” His vision blurred from tears. “Chrysalis corruption…”  
    
 Makoto looked up at Haruka, eyes begging.  
    
 “No other way,” Haru reminded them.  
    
 Sousuke swallowed hard.  
    
 Rin shook his head. “We can… Maybe there is a way!”  
    
 Haruka’s eyes widened. “What?”  
    
 “Nobody’s ever tried!” Rin stood up. “Chrysalis corruption’s just been the way it is for decades; with advanced to medicine and spirit magic, maybe…!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Stasis.  
    
 Nagisa’s body was placed in a pod. He was lying down on the smooth surface, clear cover over him. The spirit dust in the case worked at trying to cure the toxicity.  
    
 “We’re making progress,” Miho admitted. “But very slowly.”  
    
 Rin breathed out of relief and leaned against the wall of the medical room. “Progress is still progress.”  
    
 “Makoto’s research is invaluable,” she went on. “We’ve got the funding since Sousuke presented the case, and with Haru’s reputation both the Lower and Higher Council agreed. Even the Iris, herself, gave full support. Your reagents have also been a fantastic contribution, Rin. If Nagisa comes back, it will because of you four, his squad.”  
    
 “When he comes back,” Rin corrected. “Miss Amakata, he will come back.”  
    
 Miho smiled, believing it. “You’re right, I should be more—”  
    
 Glass blasted in the air.  
    
 They both looked at the pod.  
    
 Fires of white and black swirled around the pod.  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened.  
    
 Miho took a step back. “I-Impossible! At his docile level—”  
    
 “Miss…” Nagisa’s body slowly began to rise, as if pulled by cords, until he hovered above the pod. “Ama-chan…” His skin was pale white, traced with black lines. His pupils were white fire, searing his eyelashes when he closed his eyes. “Did you forget… I feed on positivity like that, RinRin?”  
    
 A tentacle shot out.  
    
 Rin dodged, but then realised it wasn’t going for him.  
    
 Blood burst from Miho’s body and she was thrown aside.  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened as he looked back.  
    
 “Rin-chan!”  
    
 He looked forward again.  
    
 “Your despair…” Nagisa stood right in front of him, smiling.  
   
 A fist crunched his rib; Rin coughed out blood.  
   
 Nagisa gasped. “Is so delicious!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 The war, for the humans, had ended. For the witches, everyone knew, it only just begun. Chrysalises appeared across the globe, faster than they had ever grown before. Witch after witch died, scores of them losing their lives a day. For the first time in history, Chrysalises were no longer mindless. Chrysalises were no longer just ‘a clump of spirit energy’. They had stolen a mind, his mind, and used it as their own. Nagisa—or what was left of him—began planting the seeds of Chrysalises where spirit essence was rampant; it would only take a couple hours for them to hatch.  
    
 Not even expert witches were good enough to take them down.  
    
 The High Council realised that there was only one answer.  
    
 The mountain had split in two, breaking open; lava surged beneath it.  
    
 Makoto screamed, trying to grab on to a ledge as he fell. His fingernails raked at the rocks and he felt them tore off. His right hand caught a clump of stone and he stopped. He looked up, eyes wide. “Rin!”  
    
 Rin ran over and saw how far Makoto had fallen. He reached in his pack for rope, but fires of black and white burned by his side.  
    
 Nagisa wore a robe that was black at his chest and gradually became white as it went to his sleeves and legs. All three of his eyes were open, each one burned with white flame. “Rin.”  
    
 Rin backed away, still fumbling for the rope.  
    
 “You love Haru-chan.”  
    
 Rin paused.  
    
 “You could let Mako-chan die here.” Nagisa looked down the cliff, knowing he was too far to hear them. “If he dies… Haru will come running to your arms.”  
    
 Rin looked down.  
    
 “Rin!” Makoto screamed.  
    
 Snapping out of it, Rin blasted a swirling sphere of fire at Nagisa.  
    
 The false image broke away. It wasn’t destroyed: The false image would just appear somewhere else. There was no way to kill them, except destroy the core.  
    
 Rin sent the rope down and Makoto grabbed onto it. He pulled Makoto out and Makoto crashed on the ground, breathing heavily.  
    
 “Makoto!” Sousuke landed next to them. “Rest for now.”  
    
 Makoto shook his head. “Haru’s alone?”  
    
 “Haru’s fine,” Sousuke replied.  
    
 Rin looked to the Chrysalis.  
    
 It was massive in size, taller than any skyscraper. If it hadn’t based itself in a deep crater, it would have soared past the clouds. It’s head, defined with seven eyes and hundreds of teeth, had ‘hair’ which resembled Nagisa’s. In truth, the ‘hair’ was just tentacles, guarding the core.  
    
 “We need a plan,” Sousuke squeezed his blade. “This rune.” He looked at his weapon. “Will give him apoptosis if I can get close enough… but I can’t manage that. Not like this!”  
    
 “Haru,” Makoto struggled to say as he stood up, “And Rin. The two of them will cut you a path. I’m done for at this point…” He crashed back on the earth. “But… I did some calculations… Haru has what we need to expose the core. Rin, just help him out.”  
    
 “You’re not done for, you fuck!” Rin tsk’d. “Rest for a bit, but…” Rin nodded. “Alright.” He looked at Sousuke. “Good luck.”  
    
 Sousuke nodded. “You too, RinRin.”  
    
 “Oh, fuck you.”  
    
   
 Meanwhile, Haruka hopped from limb to limb, firing bullets made of his spirit essence over and over. Each bullet caused a large explosion, but none of it was working. He had made his way to Nagisa’s shoulder, but it was obvious he was getting nowhere. Tentacles shot at him from all directions, and he jumped off. His hair fluttered in the wind as he fired, destroying them. He made a ‘T’ with his body and let himself fall, flipping over and over on his way down.  
    
 “Haru!” Rin shouted. Beneath him, a phoenix cawed loud.  
    
 Haruka landed on the phoenix and closed his eyes.  
    
 “Stop just fucking jumping off shit!”  
    
 “You’ll catch me,” Haruka pointed out. “I know you will.” He ejected his ammo clip. “But… you almost let Makoto fall.”  
    
 “No I didn’t!”  
    
 “Yes.” Haruka grabbed another clip and reloaded his handgun. “You did.”  
    
 “Haru, no!”  
    
 “Is your jealousy that bad?”  
    
 “Nagisa was trying to trick me!”  
    
 “Then why listen?”  
    
 “Because, Haru!” Rin shifted his body weight, forcing the phoenix to fly to the side, narrowly dodging another tentacle. “He’s _trying_ to turn us against each other!”  
    
 Haruka sighed. “You’re right… Sorry.”  
    
 “He feeds on this!”  
    
 Below, Makoto and Sousuke were back to back. Five false images of Nagisa attacked with claws, stopping them from making their way to the core.  
    
 “Makoto,” Rin spoke up, “Said you have a way to win this?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Haruka closed his eyes. “Nagisa imbued his magic into these shots… These are my last four bullets of his magic. This is, the last thing I have of him.”  
    
 Rin stared. “And these… will do something?”  
    
 “When we were healing Nagisa, it was his own magic that was helping him recover. Makoto believes… Spirits are made of two things, so if spirit essence is what’s feeding the Chrysalis… the soul has to be the one that destroys it.” Haruka’s eyes looked down. “In theory…”  
    
 “We’ve got four shots.” Rin frowned. “Nagisa…”  
    
 “Bring me close.”  
    
 Rin nodded. The phoenix cawed again and its wings of pure fire grew. With one flap, it surged forward. The tentacles raced for them, but Rin maneuvered his way through.  
    
 Haruka aimed his gun and bit his lip. He fired.  
    
 The bullet of pink energy smashed against the hair; several tentacles fell off.  
    
 “Shit!” Rin’s eyes widened. “We have a chance!”  
    
 “No emotions.” Haruka fired again.  
    
 More of the tentacles fell off, revealing the Chrysalis’ forehead.  
    
 “One more,” Rin urged.  
    
 Haruka aimed and fired once again.  
    
 But the monster had raised its hand to block. When the bullet hit its palm, the entire arm shattered and the Chrysalis screamed.  
    
 Haruka fired again.  
    
 The pink bullet broke Nagisa’s forehead open and it screamed. Black winds howled as the psychic scream erupted in a blast-wave.  
    
 The phoenix shattered and the two of them screamed.  
    
 “Makoto!” Sousuke yelled before jumping off the shoulder.  
    
 Makoto heaved his hand, tossing feathers of white light at Sousuke, guiding him up.  
    
 Sousuke landed on one of the creature’s eye and readied his blade.  
    
 Rin and Haruka rolled on the ground.  
    
 Makoto was thrown in the wind.  
   
 A blast of light crashed against the Chrysalis.  
    
 Rin forced himself up, limbs shaking. He opened his eyes and looked up. “Did he do it?”  
    
 The Chrysalis stood still, a statue.  
    
 The black clouds above began to part and light came down in sunbeams.  
    
 The limbs of the chrysalis began to break, chunks at a time lifting off the ground and dissolving into shimmering white light.  
    
 “There,” Haruka whispered.  
    
 “Where?” Rin looked around, until he saw a beam of pink light at the base of the Chrysalis. “Nagisa!” He got up and ran down the crater.  
    
 Haruka charged down, but when he got there…  
    
 Sousuke stood alone, blade in hand.  
    
 Makoto had joined them as well. “Where’s Nagi?”  
    
 “Apoptosis,” Sousuke whispered.  
    
 “What?” Rin’s eyes widened. “Without us?”  
    
 “You…” Makoto’s hands turned into fists. “You didn’t let us say goodbye!”  
    
 Haruka scowled. “Wh-Why?”  
    
 “I didn’t…” Sousuke looked at them. “He was, going through Necrosis… He realised what he did, he called himself a big bully, he said horrible things… I hugged him. I told him it wasn’t his fault. I told him that he was a hero…” Tears fell from Sousuke’s eyes as his shoulders began to shake. “I thought I had more time!”  
    
 Haruka relaxed, looking away.  
    
 Rin put a hand over his face. “Nagisa…”  
    
 Makoto watched the Chrysalis break into pieces of light. “As long as… he’s not suffering anymore.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Everyone was clapping. Applauding. Cheering. Whistling. For them. And, unknown to the massive audience, the four of them were dead inside. Hollow eyes, expressionless faces, they might as well have been zombies. Honourary Members of The Eye for resolving the Hazuki Incident. Rin felt his stomach twist. He was standing at the end of the row, so he glanced at his other teammates. Sousuke was forcing himself to breathe in and out; Makoto was trying not to cry; Haruka zoned out. Rin sighed as he waited for the communion ceremony to be finished.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Rin watched Makoto hold Haruka for ten minutes, ten minutes of sobbing, until it became too much and Haruka needed to break away, needed space.  
    
 “I need air,” Rin muttered.  
    
 “Wait.” Sousuke looked around the briefing room, making sure no one else was around. “I have… something I want to say.”  
    
 Haruka glanced at him.  
    
 Makoto wiped his tears away. “S-Sorry. You were, waiting for me to stop crying.”  
    
 “Yeah.” Sousuke looked at them. “I’m leaving.”  
    
 Rin blinked. “What?”  
    
 “I have no more interest in The Eye.” Sousuke looked away. “Haru was right: This whole fucking place is garbage.”  
    
 Makoto paused, looking at Haruka.  
    
 Sousuke looked at him too. “What?”  
    
 “They…” Haruka shifted uncomfortably. “Elected me for the Lower Council, three months ago.”  
    
 “Pfft.” Rin laughed. “Good luck getting you to join.”  
    
 “Today… I accepted.”  
    
 Rin’s laughter died and Sousuke stared at him.  
    
 Haruka looked at his feet. “It’s what… Nagisa, would have wanted.”  
    
 Makoto said nothing.  
    
 “Shut… up.” Rin glared. “Shut! Up!”  
    
 “Nagisa.” Sousuke’s eyes narrowed. “Would have wanted you to leave the team?”  
    
 “Not exactly,” Haruka admitted. “What he said was… ‘Haru-chan, if I were you, I’d make the world better, for all the witches… and, I… would make strawberry and sakura lattes the official drink of The Eye.”  
    
 Sousuke closed his eyes. “Sounds like him.”  
    
 “Nagisa,” Makoto whispered. He raised his hand and covered his mouth, fighting back another choked sob.  
    
 Rin’s eyes watered as he glared daggers at Haru. “You fucking liar!”  
    
 Haruka glanced at him.  
    
 “You fucking liar!” Rin grabbed Haruka’s collar and shoved him against the wall. “You’re just using him as an excuse to leave the squad! You don’t want to be here now that he’s gone, fine! But don’t lie about what he said!”  
    
 Haruka said nothing.  
    
 Rin pulled Haruka back before shoving him again. “You… liar… You’re lying!”  
    
 “Maybe I am,” Haruka muttered. “Either way.” He slapped Rin’s hands away. “My life is none of your fucking business anymore.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “Huh… Wow.” Rin opened his eyes and tears began to fall. “That’s… amazing. No one can stop someone going through Necrosis… That’s… amazing!”  
    
 “Rin,” Rei’s voice was dark. “Don’t get too excited.”  
    
 “Huh?”  
    
 “I don’t know much about Chrysalises, since they’re rare outside of times of war… but they take years to grow, and even more years to finally hatch. This close to the shrine, Momotarou would have sensed it earlier.”  
    
 “Th-The,” Nitori breathed out. “Suppression aura, weakened.”  
    
 “I felt it, but… no.” Rei shook his head. “That’s not enough of a reason.”  
    
 “He’s right,” Rin muttered. “A small weakening of the aura wouldn’t hide anything this massive.”  
    
 “The most logical explanation.” Rei looked around for his glasses and picked them off the ground. “Is that the aura weakened to prepare this Chrysalis.”  
    
 “Wait.” Momotarou looked up. “Can you even like, plant one of these things?”  
    
 “Hm.” Rei frowned. “Not that I know of.”  
    
 “Yes.” Rin swallowed hard. “I… The five of us, we… I know, knew… the, we… knew someone who could plant Chrysalises, but… we, we made sure his soul crossed over to the afterlife.” Rin’s hands squeezed the grass beneath him. “There’s no way…”  
    
 Rei inspected his glasses and poked his tongue at his cheek. “Rin, are you sure that soul crossed over?”  
    
 “Yes.”  
    
 “Did you send it yourself?”  
    
 “N-No.” Rin looked up. “Sousuke did.”  
    
 Rei tensed at the name. “Then you should ask him if he’s sure.”  
    
 Rin frowned. “Sousuke wouldn’t have done anything else!”  
    
 Rei turned and walked back to the shrine.  
                                                                                                         
 Rin forced himself up and looked at Nitori. “Hey.”  
    
 “H-Hey.” Nitori frowned. “Rin… about that person.”  
    
 Rin turned away. “We’ll… talk more, later.” He walked away, quickly to get away, but not quick enough so he’d catch up to Rei. Closing his eyes, he ran a hand through his head. ‘ _Nagisa, how? Nagi… are… you,  still alive?_ ’


	11. Spirit-Return

 Rin made no noise as tears burned down his cheek. His shoulders moved inwardly and he cringed. He tried to hold it back, but he sobbed. One sob turned into two; and, before he knew it, he broke down. He cried. He let it out, and he cried.  
   
 Nitori opened his eyes slowly, eyes warm and wet. A tear rolled down his left cheek and he moved his head away to wipe it away. “Nagisa,” he whispered. “He…”  
   
 Rin covered his face with his hands.  
   
 Nitori wrapped his arms around Rin and pulled him close. He rested his head on Rin’s shoulders and closed his eyes.  
   
 Rin hugged back, nuzzling Nitori’s neck. He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, just like that, but he was thankful Nitori didn’t move. He felt Nitori’s tears against his shirt but he said nothing, only squeezing him more every now and then. Eventually, he broke away, moving back. Despite all his crying, his eyes were still brimming with wetness. “Nagisa… he was, so… he was…”  
   
 Nitori squished his eyes closed as his shoulders began to shake. “H-He gave his life… He’s so, brave.” He wiped his tears away and looked down. “I always looked up to him… He was younger than me, b-but he was always… I looked up to him. I always looked up to him.”  
   
 Rin nodded.  
   
 Nitori let them fall into silence for a full minute before he looked up, eyes already puffy. “Rin… thank you, for trusting me, with your memories.”  
   
 Rin shrugged. “Just…”  
   
 “Y-Yeah?”  
   
 “Please just…” Rin pushed his forehead on Nitori’s shoulder. “Don’t go.”  
   
 “Rin?”  
   
 “I just… don’t want to be alone right now, so… if it’s not too much to ask… don’t go.”  
   
 Nitori smiled and leaned into Rin’s hair. “I won’t. I promise… Everything, you… I mean… um. Rin… It’s such a heavy burden you’ve been holding, and you have to keep holding it, but I won’t let you do it alone, okay? I promise.”  
   
 Rin smiled and wrapped his arms around Nitori. “But…”He took a deep breath. “What if Nagisa is back? What if I… what if I have to, go through all of that, again. What if I have to do it again? Fight him, again… watch him die, a-again…?”  
   
 “W-Well.” Nitori looked up at the ceiling. “We don’t know for certain he’s back. We don’t know anything for sure, but… we’ll get to the bottom of this, together.”  
   
 “Together.” Rin closed his eyes and slipped away. He crashed onto the bed next to him and looked up.  
   
 Nitori felt his cheeks warm as he brought his knees to his chest, hugging them. “Can I stay the night here?”  
   
 “Yeah… I’d like that.”  
   
 Nitori nodded, taking off his socks and stripping himself to just a pair of loose green boxers and his grey shirt. He put his hand against the wall, setting the lights to zero, and then slipped under the covers with Rin.  
   
 Rin stripped to just his boxers and pulled Nitori against his bare chest, into another hug, closing his eyes, and putting his head against Nitori’s shoulder.  
   
 Nitori closed his eyes as well, letting himself drift off. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say to Rei, to Momotarou, but he couldn’t think about that. Right now, all he could focus on was Rin and being there for Rin.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Nitori dreamed of Nagisa; no, not Nagisa himself, just memories of Nagisa. It had been the first time in a long time he’d fallen asleep in someone’s arms. When he thought of the last time… his dreams took him to a scene from years ago. When they were growing up, Nitori, Momotarou, and Nagisa had frequent sleepovers—their rooms were right next to each other, and there was little else to do. Nagisa had always pulled one of them in for cuddles, most of the time both.  
   
 But when Nitori finally woke up, he realised the warmth wasn’t Nagisa or Momo’s… It was warmer, hotter, burning… almost like a furnace, an inferno, and it was perfect. He pushed himself up against the fire, and it took him a moment to realise he was feeling skin. His eyes opened and he took in Rin’s scent. It reminded him of smoke, but not cigarette smoke. It was a good smoke…  
   
 Heat.  
   
 Comfort.  
   
 Being surrounded by friends.  
   
 He smelled like a campfire, actually; he was the smell of pine and wood and bristle of fire.  
   
 Rin eventually woke up too. His cheeks warmed when he realised just how closely they had cuddled together.  
   
 Nitori noticed he was embarrassed, but not exactly willing to let go.  
   
 Eventually, there was a knock on the door.  
   
 Rin pulled away from Nitori to lift his head up. “Who is it?”  
   
 “Rei. Have you seen Aiichiro?”  
   
 Nitori felt his throat tighten. “I’m here! We’re discussing, um, strategy!”  
   
 “I see… Breakfast will be ready soon. Don’t be late.”  
   
 When Rei walked away, Nitori forced himself out of bed. “H-He’s totally going to get the wrong idea…” He picked up his clothes from yesterday and quickly got dressed.  
   
 Rin sat up, bed sheets pooling around his lap. “Thanks… by the way.”  
   
 Nitori looked over his shoulder. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and leaned over, planting a kiss on Rin’s cheek.  
   
 Rin grinned. “You keep doing that to me…”  
   
 “S-Sorry.”  
   
 “Nah, it’s cool.” Rin tilted his head. “Maybe I wanna do it back is all?”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened.  
   
 Rin leaned over and smooched his cheek, before promptly looking away and pretending he didn’t just do it.  
   
 Nitori smiled, but said nothing.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin entered the kitchen about five minutes after Nitori and took his usual seat. He noticed Nitori was actually smiling, which was probably why Momotarou was so chipper. Even Rei seemed in better spirits. Rin felt as if a thousand pounds had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked at Nitori and smiled, then glanced down at his plate of oatmeal with fresh cut fruit. “Thanks!”  
   
 Momotarou grinned. “Welcome!”  
   
 Rei looked at Rin, then Nitori. “How are things?”  
   
 “We got a new direction,” Rin said. “For the investigation, I mean.”  
   
 “We’ll continue today,” Nitori added.  
   
 Momotarou looked between the two of them. “That was… a quick change.” His eyes widened. “Not that I’m complaining! I just meant like… yeah, sudden.”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Nitori laughed. “We talked.”  
   
 Rei cocked an eyebrow. “About what?”  
   
 “Nagisa,” Rin said the name with ease for the first time in a year. He watched Rei stiffen, and he offered a smile. “He was like a little brother to me, Rei. I loved him. Our whole team loved him, and he loved all of us with all his heart.”  
   
 Rei took a slow breath in, then let it out even slower.  
   
 “I promise.” Rin straightened his back. “I’ll figure out what’s going on.”  
   
 Rei nodded. “Rin…”  
   
 “Uh, yeah?”  
   
 “Thank you.”  
   
 Rin smiled. “Anytime.”  
   
 Nitori smiled as well.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 It was the same café they had bumped into earlier. Sousuke opened the door and the overwhelming smell of coffee beans slapped him in the face. Despite the strength of the smell, it was warm and reminded him of the old days, when all coffee shops used to smell like that. He caught sight of red hair and grey, and he walked over. “Hey.” He took a seat, then glanced to the cup in Rin’s hand.  
   
 “He was right.” Rin laughed. “I can’t believe I never tried it, but it’s good. It’s really good.”  
   
 Sousuke’s eyes widened and a breath hitched in his throat. He looked away.  
   
 In Rin’s hands was a mug with a pink drink, warm and covered in pink foam. Rin brought the strawberry and sakura latte to his mouth and took a sip of it. He licked away the foam moustache and smiled. “For a long while, I wasn’t able to bring myself to even look at it on the menus, you know?”  
   
 Sousuke let out a breath. “Yeah.”  
   
 “I felt so guilty.”  
   
 “It’s because we failed.” Sousuke looked down at the menu, half considering ordering one himself. “I failed. I was the captain of our team. I failed him, as a captain, as a big brother. But…” His eyes narrowed and he glared at Nitori, then Rin. “What does that have to do with this?”  
   
 Rin swallowed hard.  
   
 Nitori nudged his arm.  
   
 “Okay.” Rin sighed. “Look, I really hate doing this… I really fucking hate doing this to you, but… are you. Are you certain, without a doubt, that Nagisa’s spirit moved on to the next life?”  
   
 Sousuke’s eyebrows knitted together. “Yes… Why?” He looked between them again. “Why?”  
   
 “I need to know.” Rin glared. “Are you a hundred percent sure?”  
   
 “Yes, Rin. Why?”  
   
 “A hundred fucking percent?”  
   
 Sousuke raised his left hand and yanked off a ring. He slammed it on the table. “Read.”  
   
 Nitori looked at him, then Rin. “Huh?”  
   
 “The ring’s enchanted,” Sousuke explained. “As a squad captain, it helped me conceal my thoughts and strategies from the enemy. Without it, Rin could easily read my mind. His spirit essence is attuned to mine.”  
   
 “Well…” Nitori wiggled. “Not to play devil’s advocate or anything, Sousuke-kun, but…”  
   
 “He’s dry,” Rin supplied. “I can feel it. He hasn’t cast a spell in months. His spirit essence is barely flowing; if he tried to create a shield in his mind, I’ll be able to tell.”  
   
 “I’m defenseless,” Sousuke admitted. “A witch knows, without a doubt, whether the soul they send to the afterlife makes it to the other side or not. You can read my mind to see if I am lying. I sent Nagisa over.”  
   
 Rin’s eyebrows came together; runes were drawn in his mind’s eye and he projected them into Sousuke’s core. His face relaxed and he sighed. “He’s telling the truth.”  
   
 Nitori nodded. “I didn’t think he would lie about that…”  
   
 Sousuke looked at Nitori. “Then why ask?”  
   
 “We had to rule out the possibility.” Nitori rubbed his arm. “There was… a Chrysalis.”  
   
 Sousuke’s eyes widened. “What?”  
   
 “It was planted.” Rin squeezed his mug. “Outside the shrine, in an area they would have detected if it had grown over time.”  
   
 “Planted?” Sousuke scowled. “But the only person who has been known to plant Chrysalis seeds is… Oh.”  
   
 “Yeah. Nagisa.” Rin nodded. “You see my problem?”  
   
 Nitori pulled his knees up and hugged them. “Sousuke-kun, I don’t know much about Chrysalises, but do you know how else they can just… appear? Is there another possible theory as to how a seed can be planted?”  
   
 “I…” Sousuke looked at his hands. “Not that I know of. Only Nagisa had… for lack of a better world, evolved, to that stage of giving his mind to the Chrysalis. I would suggest asking Makoto but…”  
   
 “Asking Makoto is the best way to get Haru to know.” Rin leaned back. “And if Haru knows, the whole Eye is going to storm this place.”  
   
 “Fear will run rampant,” Sousuke added. “That will only feed Chrysalises.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “So we have to figure this out ourselves.”  
   
 “I agree.” Sousuke nodded as well. “If Nagisa’s spirit crossed over… then the only logical possibility I could think of is that someone called Nagisa back from the other side. Forcing the spirit of a witch to this realm will open their library of powers to you.”  
   
 “Right!” Rin smiled, but noticed the expression on Sousuke’s face. “But?”  
   
 “But…” Sousuke sighed. “It doesn’t hold up. You can only get the powers of the witch when they die. Nagisa had gone through Apoptosis, meaning his powers over the Chrysalises should have been removed when he went to the afterlife.”  
   
 “Well.” Nitori swallowed hard. “The laws of death are… always blurry.”  
   
 “Or…” Rin’s eyes widened. “Someone brought Nagisa’s spirit back through the blight of Chrysalises, recorrupting his mind upon return to the world of living.”  
   
 “Damnit!” Sousuke slammed his fist on the table, causing both of them to jump. He stared at the ring on the surface and his eyes narrowed. His breathing became heavy. “After all this time… After all this time, Nagisa is still suffering.”  
   
 Rin took a deep breath, looking away.  
   
 Nitori looked at his lap and then glanced up at Rin. “You said you would get to the bottom of this, right?”  
   
 “Of course!” Rin shouted, getting a couple looks from the workers, but not giving two shits. “Are you even questioning that?”  
   
 “Well, I just mean!” Nitori’s hands squeezed together. “Someone had to use a really complex ritual to bring Nagisa’s spirit back, and mix the Chrysalis corruption with it. That means we need to do something equally as complicated. You’re the master of rituals, aren’t you?”  
   
 “Well, yeah, but…” Rin shook his head. “This is so much beyond usual shit, Nitori. We need to do bucket-fucks of heavy research.”  
   
 “Rin.” Sousuke smiled. “There’s someone who is willing to do it for you.”  
   
 Rin blinked. “Huh?”  
   
 “Look at you. You’re stressed beyond belief.” Sousuke sighed. “Relax and put some of it on Makoto’s shoulder. You know we’re willing to help. I’d leave out whose spirit it is, but as far as finding a ritual goes, he’ll help you out.”  
   
 “Y-Yeah… maybe.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 They went to Rin’s apartment; most of his stuff had been moved to the shrine, but he realised he forgot his tablet. Rin unlocked the door and the two stepped in. He grabbed the tablet, opened up his contacts, and paused. He felt Nitori grab his arm. “Huh?”  
   
 “You’re thinking about what Nanase said.” It wasn’t a question. “About how you’re leaning too much on Makoto, and how he pities you. Aren’t you?”  
   
 Rin didn’t reply.  
   
 “You’re hesitating because you think you’re doing something bad.” Nitori’s eyes softened. “I think, both Makoto and Nanase-san would want Nagisa’s spirit to go to rest, for good.”  
   
 Rin sighed. “I don’t even know if he’s dead.”  
   
 “Why?” Nitori tilted his head. “You don’t trust Sousuke-kun?”  
   
 “I do!” Rin closed his eyes. “I just—Hey!”  
   
 Nitori had tapped video call on ‘Makoto Tachibana’ and it began dialing. It didn’t take long for him to pick up. Makoto was in his usual place, on the sofa, with a bunch of cats. “Hi!”  
   
 Makoto smiled. “Hey there you two! It’s been a couple days. How are you guys doing?”  
   
 “Good,” Rin replied.  
   
 “But we need help,” Nitori added. “If that’s okay with you?”  
   
 Makoto nodded eight times. “Sure! What can I do for you guys?”  
   
 Nitori looked at Rin.  
   
 Rin sighed. “Well… I need your help with something, if you don’t mind… taking Haru’s access card again.”  
   
 “Oh.” Makoto blinked, but nodded. “Sure, I’m guessing this is serious stuff, then?”  
   
 “Really serious.” Rin frowned. “I need you to look up something in a really old tome called Book of Chains.”  
   
 Makoto tilted his head. “You can’t?”  
   
 “It’s really old,” Rin repeated. “There’s no digital version. It’s in France, the name is pretty much the same thing in French. Well, directly translated it’s Chained Book, but the meaning is Book of Chains.”  
   
 Makoto wrote it down on a scrap of paper. “What’s this for, exactly? And what am I going to do with the Book of Chains?”  
   
 “Yeah.” A fourth voice caused them all to jump.  
   
 Makoto looked to the side. “H-Haru-chan!”  
   
 “Drop the ‘-chan’.”  
   
 “Wh-When did you come home?”  
   
 “Just now.” Haruka walked over to the laptop and leaned forward. “What is this for, Rin?”  
   
 Rin swallowed hard. “The investigation.”  
   
 “And you need the Book of Chains?”  
   
 “Yeah, it’s in Fra—”  
   
 “Shut up.” Haruka scowled. “I know exactly what that book is. Why the fuck would you want it?”  
   
 “Look, Haru, I just do!”  
   
 “Answer me.”  
   
 “Haru, come on!” Rin tch’d. “Can’t you trust me?”  
   
 Haruka’s eyes softened. “No.”  
   
 Makoto frowned. “Haru! He’s Rin!”  
   
 “Stay out of it,” Haruka barked, actually raising his voice. He glared at the camera. “Only a few people know the nature of that book. It’s forbidden for good reasons. Not even someone with my status can look at it when they want.”  
   
 “Haru, come on.” Rin swallowed hard. “Just do as I say. I only need a minor ritual from it! Nothing big, I swear.”  
   
 Haruka cocked his head to the side. “Which?”  
   
 Rin bit his lip. “I don’t want to tell you.”  
   
 Haruka blinked. “Can’t you trust me?”  
   
 Guilt burned in Rin’s stomach as he replied: “No.”  
   
 “Then…” Haruka moved his hand to the touchpad of Makoto’s laptop. “No.” He clicked the button, and the call ended.  
   
 Rin stared at his tablet before he squeezed it. “Fuck!”  
   
 Nitori took the tablet from him. “Rin.”  
   
 “Fuck! Fuck! Fucking shit!” Rin kicked a chair, sending it flying across the apartment. “Fucking shit! Fucking! Haru!”  
   
 “Rin!” Nitori raised his voice, “Calm down!”  
   
 “No! No I won’t!” Rin looked over his shoulder. “Don’t you get it? That book was our only chance! It’s the only thing that can get us to talk to the gatekeepers of hell! We have no options!”  
   
 “Yes we do!”  
   
 Rin paused. “What?”  
   
 “You tried your way… so let’s try mine.” Nitori hugged the tablet to his chest. “I-I don’t know all the details, but I’m guessing the Book of Chains is in France’s origin house, right?”  
   
 “Yeah, it is. Which is why I can’t just break in and steal it.”  
   
 “So… Maybe I’m grasping at straws, but if you need forbidden spells to do what we need to do.” Nitori looked him in the eye. “There are hundreds of forbidden books at our shrine.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened. “What?”  
   
 “It’s Japan’s origin house. Maybe we won’t find the exact ritual we need, but…” Nitori swallowed hard. “There could be something there! It’s worth a shot!”  
   
 “You’re right!” Rin grabbed Nitori’s face. “Holy shit you’re right!” Without thinking, he pressed their lips together. “You’re a fucking genius, Ai!”  
   
 Nitori’s face burned, but he smiled and nodded. “L-Let’s go!”


	12. Izanagi

 Rin stared at his tablet before he squeezed it. “Fuck!”  
   
 Nitori took the tablet from him. “Rin.”  
   
 “Fuck! Fuck! Fucking shit!” Rin kicked a chair, sending it flying across the apartment. “Fucking shit! Fucking! Haru!”  
   
 “Rin!” Nitori raised his voice, “Calm down!”  
   
 “No! No I won’t!” Rin looked over his shoulder. “Don’t you get it? That book was our only chance! It’s the only thing that can get us to talk to the gatekeepers of hell! We have no options!”  
   
 “Yes we do!”  
   
 Rin paused. “What?”  
   
 “You tried your way… so let’s try mine.” Nitori hugged the tablet to his chest. “I-I don’t know all the details, but I’m guessing the Book of Chains is in France’s origin house, right?”  
   
 “Yeah, it is. Which is why I can’t just break in and steal it.”  
   
 “So… Maybe I’m grasping at straws, but if you need forbidden spells to do what we need to do.” Nitori looked him in the eye. “There are hundreds of forbidden books at our shrine.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened. “What?”  
   
 “It’s Japan’s origin house. Maybe we won’t find the exact ritual we need, but…” Nitori swallowed hard. “There could be something there! It’s worth a shot!”  
   
 “You’re right!” Rin grabbed Nitori’s face. “Holy shit you’re right!” Without thinking, he pressed their lips together. “You’re a fucking genius, Ai!”  
   
 Nitori’s face burned, but he smiled and nodded. “L-Let’s go!”  
   
 Rin suddenly froze. “But… would… will Rei let us go through the forbidden texts?”  
   
 “Oh, yeah, for sure.” Nitori laughed nervously.  
   
 “Oh.” Rin misunderstood. “Because it’s to do with Nagisa?”  
   
 “N-No.” Nitori laughed again, equally as nervous as last time. “In truth he just lets us go through them whenever we want…”  
   
 “But… aren’t they… forbidden?”  
   
 “Well, yeah, but the shrine’s kind of boring, and for the past while it’s been only the three of us… so… It helps pass the time.”  
   
 Rin’s jaw dropped. “You’re fucking me.”  
   
 “I’d prefer you fucking me,” Nitori admitted. His eyes went wide. “O-Oh my God! What, what did I just say?”  
   
 Rin snorted. “Geez, you’re… so dumb.”  
   
 Nitori backed away and bowed. “I’m sorry!”  
   
 “It’s cool, Ai.”  
   
 “I’m sorry!”  
   
 “I said it’s cool!”  
   
 “I’m still sorry!”  
   
 Rin scowled. “Stop that!”  
   
 Nitori straightened his spine. “S-Sorry!”  
   
 “You dumb cute fuck.” Rin felt his body heat up, but he leaned down and pressed their lips together, kissing him softly. . “Come on. Let’s go.”  
   
 “O-Okay!”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 For once, the bus tram had other people. Nitori sat near the front, next the window, and Rin sat beside him. Rin did the awkward pretending to yawn thing and slipped an arm around Nitori. It occurred to him that they had only known each other for a couple days. He looked away as he considered that maybe his ‘feelings’ were just a bond from sharing memories… But, no, Rin shared his memories with Nitori because he was comfortable enough to do so, right? There was no fucking way Rin Matsuoka would share his memories of his team, Nagisa and Gou to just anyone.  
   
 “Hey.”  
   
 Rin blinked, looking at Nitori.  
   
 “You have a serious face…” Nitori tilted his head. “What are you thinking about?”  
   
 “Mm.” Rin gave a meek little shrug.  
   
 “Us?”  
   
 Rin paused. “Y-Yeah. How did you know?”  
   
 “Well…” Nitori smiled. “I was just thinking about it too… I figured if I was, then maybe you were… I know a lot about you, but it’s not fair you don’t know much about me.”  
   
 “Uh, well, only if you want to share.”  
   
 “I want to.” Nitori smiled. “For the first time, I… I really trust someone enough to tell them.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened.  
   
 “You’re a good person, Rin. Passionate.” Nitori put his hands in his lap. “The opposite of me, really. I’m… weak, and I get scared, but you just speak your mind. You’re like fire… and sometimes people get burned, but that’s so much better than living in a cage of fear.”  
   
 “It’s not your fault…”  
   
 “Yeah, I found out really early I was a psion. I was six.”  
   
 “Six?” Rin’s eyes widened. “How?”  
   
 “A psion pointed it out to my parents.” Nitori looked up. “My parents are Japanese but I was actually born in Alaska… back when it was part of the U.S. It’s Canadian territory now, since they traded it for the lakes… Anyway.” He sighed. “My parents were trying to bring out my spirit essence early, you know, stimulate it. Parent’s do that nowadays. And… a psion realised what was going on. My parents wanted to protect me, so they sought refuge at the Canadian origin house.”  
   
 Rin tilted his head. “They said no?”  
   
 “Alaska was still part of America, and I was American. They didn’t want to say no, but we knew they wouldn’t give me a proper home either. So we went to America…”  
   
 “Same thing there?”  
   
 Nitori nodded. “So we went to Japan. They said yes.”  
   
 Rin frowned. “Why?”  
   
 “I’m… not actually allowed to say.” Nitori pouted. “Sorry.”  
   
 “That’s okay.” Rin smiled. “So, you got along with everyone at the shrine?”  
   
 “Yeah.” Nitori nodded. “I thought Nagisa and Momo were really loud when I was a kid, but I liked them. They had energy that I was kind of envious of, but they were also really nice. I was scared I wouldn’t fit in, but they were great to me. Rei was really cool too… He was thirteen when I got there, so he was like this older brother who would sneak us some chocolate bars before dinner.”  
   
 Rin laughed. “Rei broke the rules, huh?”  
   
 “Mhm.” Nitori chuckled. “I made myself a family, and we grew up together. The adults ended up, you know, passing away… It was just the four of us when Nagi wanted to go to The Eye.”  
   
 “Why?” Rin frowned. “Why did he leave his family if he was so close?”  
   
 “That’s… because my parents…” Nitori sighed. “My parents worked for The Eye. My mom was a marksman, expert witch-hunter for anyone who went rogue. My dad was a herbalist who had a massive collection. They both worked hard, representing the Mahō, so that their contributions supported the shrine. They…”  
   
 Rin had already noticed Nitori’s use of past tense.  
   
 “Anyway, when they passed on to the next life, that’s when The Eye started bargaining with us, removing witches in the area, trying to force us to join. We weren’t useful anymore to them, so they wanted control. Nagisa went to The Eye after that. And you know his story… When Nagisa went on your squad, the pressure stopped, and when he became a hero they were taking care of all the wanderers. They never told us anything… only that one day he was dead, with some explanation we didn’t understand at the time.”  
   
 Rin pulled him close.  
   
 Nitori leaned on his chest. “After three months, the pressure came back, and a month after that they pulled out of the area. I-I’m sorry—I’m talking more about the shrine than me, I’m not used to talking about me.”  
   
 “But you took it on yourself to clear the city,” Rin pointed out. “That’s noble.”  
   
 “Thank you.” Nitori smiled. “Thank you…”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 When the two of them made it to the shrine, they walked up the steps to see Rei standing atop the highest step, looking down at them.  
   
 “Hello,” Rei said as he adjusted his glasses.  
   
 Nitori tensed, stopping mid step.  
   
 Rin paused as well. “What is it?”  
   
 “I got a call from Haruka Nanase.” Rei crossed his arms. “Told me you two were most likely going to try to break into the forbidden library. I told him I would put my life on the line before I let anyone break into the sacred inner-shrine.”  
   
 “Rei.” Nitori glared. “Let us in.”  
   
 “Aiichiro.” Rei smiled. “You’ve changed.”  
   
 “What?” Nitori blinked. “Changed? Me?”  
   
 Rei nodded, smile not fading. “You’re different, bolder. You really look like you’re going to challenge me.”  
   
 “Maybe I am,” he admitted.  
   
 “I like this new side to you, Aiichiro.” Rei cocked his head to the side. “As I said, I’ll put my life on the line before I let anyone break into the forbidden library. Those doors are very expensive, of course.” He smiled. “You’re more than welcome to enter the library, if you promise not to break anything.”  
   
 Rin sighed.  
   
 “Rei!” Nitori yelled. “You scared the hell out of me!”  
   
 “Aha, sorry.” Rei laughed, but his laugh faded. “I do have to warn you, though; I suspect Nanase knows as much. They’ll be monitoring, most likely. Not physically with their own eyes, but most likely monitoring spirit essence for rituals or incantations. They won’t pick up on anything that’s not massive, but if you need a forbidden spell…”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “We need something massive.”  
   
 “Well, this shrine has a barrier around it, and the enemy’s suppression aura will also be working to our benefit.” Rei put a finger to his chin. “Judging by the parallax effects, I theorise any ritual, no matter the size, will be invisible to The Eye for a day or two. After that, expect them here and asking questions.”  
   
 Nitori looked at Rin. “maybe we should just tell Nanase about Nagisa’s spirit…”  
   
 Rei’s eyes widened. “Nagisa? So you’ve found information about him? He’s involved? Is he… alive?”  
   
 “Hard to say,” Rin admitted. “We believe his spirit was brought back, and then corrupted… and now being controlled, so it’s giving our enemy control over Chrysalises.”  
   
 Rei’s jaw tightened. “I see.”  
   
 “Rei.” Rin took another step up. “Haru, Sousuke, Makoto and I… we were his family. His squad. His team.”  
   
 “I know.” Rei sighed. “He talked so much about you, all of you. He loved you… When Sousuke came to this shrine… He came a year ago and introduced himself, saying he was out of the witching business but in case we needed help, he was in the area. I… was so blind by rage I, couldn’t remember the love Nagisa had for him. I threw him out. It wasn’t as bad with you, but… The same goes to you… and, for that: I’m sorry.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened.  
   
 “Something you said…” Rei took a deep breath. “You said you don’t regret what you did, but you hate that you had to do it. I’ve been living my entire life in regret, thinking of Nagisa, thinking of the future we could have had together… I wonder if that is a better way to live, to not regret what cannot be changed.”  
   
 Nitori’s face softened. “Rei…”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Don’t regret the bad, and don’t regret the good times either.”  
   
 “Thank you.” Rei coughed. “I apologise, not sure how we got on this topic… But, back to Nanase… Nagisa truly loved Nanase, and I believe Nanase loved him as well. When a family that does not share blood is forged… that is no normal, weak bond. That is a bond that can survive ages… So, Rin, why do you not trust Nanase?”  
   
 Nitori looked at him. “Yeah…”  
   
 “Well, there’s a couple reasons.” Rin looked down. “He’s different now, but also… there’s Ai. He’ll know, right away, that he’s a psion.” He looked at Nitori. “If we have to do it, as a last resort, then we might have to, but I won’t sacrifice Ai—I won’t. Maybe I’m selfish. Maybe, I’m just scared of losing someone else… I mean, Nagi, my sister, and even the friendships I have with Haru, Sousuke, and Makoto are all in ruins. I just, if I can solve this without The Eye’s help, then I will.”  
   
 Nitori hugged his other arm. “Rin…”  
   
 Rin glanced at him.  
   
 “Rei said the barrier and aura will keep our spirit activity hidden from The Eye for a day or two. That means when we start this ritual, we’re on a time limit.” Nitori smiled. “If we can’t solve the investigation by then, and I get taken away… don’t blame yourself, please.”  
   
 “Ai…”  
   
 “You blame yourself for everything. You shoulder so much guilt, and you fight it alone because you’re too dumb to ask for help!” Nitori squeezed his elbow. “I won’t feed your suffering.”  
   
 Rei nodded. “I’ll see if there is a way we can push back the time limit.”  
   
 “Amaranth?” Nitori blurted out. “I-I mean, in your memories… you used amaranth to hide Nagisa’s presence.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “It can… do some good, but there’s no way it can hide a big ritual.”  
   
 “I’m scared,” he admitted. “I’m really scared, Rin.”  
   
 “Don’t worry.” Rin forced a smile. “I’ve casted tons of forbidden spells before. Some of them are forbidden, but that doesn’t mean they’re scary.”  
   
 “Oh,” Rei spoke up. “These ones are forbidden and horrifying.”  
   
 Nitori paled.  
   
 “I should mention one more thing.” Rei frowned. “The last time someone entered the library, it was four months ago; and, the last person to do so… was Haruka Nanase himself.”  
   
 Rin frowned. “What? What did he want?”  
   
 “I don’t know.” Rei kept his frown. “I’m unsure if it has any significance, but you should know that.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 The two of them crashed on Rin’s bed, both quite unhappy. Rin pouted. “Well that was…”  
   
 Nitori smiled. “I think, tomorrow, we shouldn’t even look at any books. We should just vacuum and dust that place because… damn.”  
   
 Rin laughed and hooked an arm around Nitori’s waist. “Yeah. We spent four hours and only found a bunch of dust…”  
   
 Nitori looked at the arm around his waist and smiled. He pushed his head against Rin’s chest and closed his eyes. “Can I stay here again, tonight?”  
   
 “Sure!” Rin realised he probably sounded too excited, but that didn’t seem to bother Nitori. “Ready to call it a night?”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Despite the whining, Momotarou was put on cleaning duty. He vacuumed silently as Rei went through the scrolls in the more delicate section of the library. Rin and Ai went through the books, though it was clear that it was going to take some time.  
   
 “Three fucking hours.” Rin sighed. “And all we found is books with dust between the pages—seriously, how does dust even get there?”  
   
 “I think it’s an enchantment.” Nitori grabbed another book and read the title. “There is a light spirit residue on this dust. The pages haven’t even coloured yellow yet.” He put the book back and sighed. “I wish there was an easier way to do this… I wonder if we’re even in the right section.”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin frowned. “This is the witching section.”  
   
 “But… I just, well, in theory, this dust has been here, generating for years… If Nanase was here four months ago, wouldn’t there be some books with less dust? He obviously didn’t leave the dust in the books. I wonder what he was here for…”  
   
 Rin opened his hand. He closed his eyes, imagining Haruka in his mind.  
   
 ‘ _Guide me to the water-touched._ ’  
   
 A black spark formed in his hand and moved down the row.  
   
 Rin followed it, Nitori just behind him. He turned the corner and entered the walkway between two rows. It hovered over a book and Rin pulled it out. He read the title, nothing interesting, before he opened it up. “Hmm… Guide me to the water-touched.”  
   
 The dark spark carefully flipped the pages to a diagram of some kind of spear.  
   
 Rin frowned. “Ame… no, Nuboko? The fuck?”  
   
 “Wait!” Nitori’s eyes widened. “Ame-no-Nuboko? The heavenly jewelled spear?”  
   
 “Uhh, looks more like a naginata—one of those swords at the end of a pole, thing.” Rin glanced over. “That mean anything to you?”  
   
 “Izanagi’s spear.” Nitori covered his mouth with his hand. “What book is that, even!?”  
   
 Rin closed the book and looked at the cover. “Ceremonies of Izanami. It’s gibberish to me…?”  
   
 “Izanami!” Nitori took a step back. “Holy shit… Holy shit! We have… Holy shit!” Nitori put both his hands in his hair. “We have Izanami’s book in this shrine? No wonder The Eye is after us!”  
   
 “Izanami…” Rin glanced to the side. “What’s an Izanami?”  
   
 “The gods who created Japan… Izanagi and Izanami, they were husband and wife. With the Ame-no-Nuboko they swirled the seas and created the first island of Japan…” Nitori tilted his head. “It’s one of the oldest tales of Japan, the origin of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, even Susanoô! You know those, right?”  
   
 “Uh, cool…” Rin looked at the book. “I got mad at Makoto when he said he needs to go under the assumption I don’t know anything, but maybe he’s right. So who are these two?”  
   
 “Oh my God, Rin… Okay. Izanagi and Izanami created Japan, and after getting married and making a lot of babies, like god babies, Izanami gave birth to gods I mean—they created the lesser gods of rivers and mountains and valleys and the different winds, I think, and basically Izanami ended up giving birth to… I actually forgot his name, but the god of fire. After passing through that childbirth, she was burned alive, and she died.”  
   
 “Shit. That sucks.”  
   
  “Rin! Anyway… She ended up dying, and Izanagi was struck with grief, so he went to the underworld.”  
   
 “Wait!” Rin’s eyes widened. “The underworld?”  
   
 “See? This could help us find Nagisa!” Nitori clasped the book. “Izanagi went to the underworld to bring Izanami back, but… Izanami made him promise he wouldn’t look at her until they were on the other side, but he was so excited to see his wife, that he broke his promise. When Izanagi saw the ugly corpse of his wife, he was horrified and ran away. Izanami fell into rage and sent an army of the dead after him.”  
   
 Rin swallowed hard.  
   
 “Izanagi made it to the other side and sealed the entrance with a boulder, which is why people cannot come back to life.” Nitori looked at him. “This book… Ceremonies of Izanami…”  
   
 “So, she’s like the Japanese Hades, essentially?”  
   
 “Yes, no… In short, yeah.”  
   
 “I see.” Rin stared at the book. “Egypt has the Book of the Dead, France has the Book of Chains… and Japan has…”  
   
 “This.” Nitori nodded. “We found it, but… why would Nanase have been looking at this?”  
   
 “That spear…” Rin cocked his head to the side. “Does that have anything to do with bringing back the dead?”  
   
 Nitori shook his head. “The heavenly jewelled spear… or naginata, I should say, was used before Izanami was dead. I… Even if Nanase was… related to Nagisa’s spirit, there’s no way someone can summon an artefact of the gods by himself.”  
   
 “I wouldn’t put it past Haru… he’s, amazing, but…” Rin laughed. “If it’s not related, then it’s not related.”  
   
 “But why was he looking at the spear?”  
   
 “Um.” Rin laughed again, and noticed Nitori’s confusion. “Haru’s got some weird boner for spears. I think it’s because Poseidon, ruler of the seas, used a trident. He tried to learn how to fight with a spear when he was fourteen, but smacked himself in the head with it and Makoto’s parents said no.”  
   
 Nitori blinked.  
   
 “I know I’ve painted shitty images of them for you… but Haru’s human, like the rest of us…” He looked at the book. “I don’t want to believe he’s behind it, but… he’s changed.”  
   
 “Changed.” Nitori paused. “Like... Like how Nagisa’s spirit was changed, recorrupted upon coming back…”  
   
 “Wait…”  
   
 “I wonder… If someone could corrupt a spirit on return from the afterlife… could someone corrupt a weapon of the gods? After all, it did belong to Izanami, who is dead… in torment, almost like a…”  
   
 “Chrysalis.”  
   
 Nitori shook his head. “No. I feel like we’re following the wrong path.”  
   
 “Red herring?” Rin opened the book up. “It’s not all that suspicious Haruka visited the origin house, is it? I mean he’s Japanese and only councillors are allowed in here, so why wouldn’t he if he could?”  
   
 “Yeah.” Nitori frowned. “I don’t know what to believe, Rin.”  
   
 “Me neither. But you’re right. Maybe we’re following the wrong path. The fact is, there’s got to be a ritual in here that will give us the answers we need, or at least point us in the right direction.”  
   
 “But, Rin, when we do that ritual…”  
   
 “Yeah. I know. We’re on a time limit from there on.”  
   
 Nitori nodded. “I’m scared.”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Rin flashed a toothy smile. “We’re in this together, alright?”  
   
 “Right.”


	13. Reprise

 The robe, he understood; the mantle, he didn’t.   
   
 Haruka Nanase walked through the halls of the central nerve. His robe was long and black, with blue patterns of runes running symmetrically; his hood was up. On top of his robe, he wore the mantle, a loose cape with metal shoulder pads with silver frills. Haruka half pondered asking the council to change their uniforms… but they already had their hands full.  
    
 Unlike the rest of central nerve, which had metallic white-grey walls, the inner part was made of crystal, dark blue, for the walls, floors, and ceiling. Not only blue, but they appeared to move, like the ocean currents. It had disoriented him at first, captivated him, but now it served as a reminder.  
    
 He turned the corner and raised his wrist. The scanner picked up his ID from the bracelet. The door opened. He stepped into the elevator and turned around; his cape did an unnecessarily extravagant fluttering movement. He frowned. He hit the third button on the rightmost row.  
    
 The elevator shifted to the right before moving diagonally down.   
    
 Haruka removed his hood then moved some hair out of his eyes. His hair was getting long, almost shoulder length now.  
    
 Usually Makoto reminded him to cut it, but Makoto had been avoiding him…  
    
 Haruka sighed, thoughts drifting to Rin. “Tch.”  
    
 What the hell was Rin even doing there? Haru wanted to go there—personally—and find out, but he knew Makoto would never forgive him. ‘You really don’t trust any of us…’ Makoto would say, eyes to the ground, forcing himself to smile.   
   
 Haruka’s throat tightened and he put a hand over the left side of his chest.  
    
 The rest of the elevator ride was in silence.  
    
 When the door opened, he walked down the hall and took a right to the Guardian Wing. His cape fluttered behind him as he moved. He knew which room it was, by heart, but his blue eyes followed the numbers as he moved along: 3196, 3198, 3120, 3122. He turned the corner and stopped in front of 3206. He stared at the white numbers on the door before he grabbed the door handle.  
    
 Guilt swirled in his stomach.  
    
 Haruka took a breath and opened the door.  
    
 “Oops!” Gou laughed.  
    
 “Ahh!” Makoto gave a mock frown. “Stop spilling the tea!”  
    
 “Don’t make me laugh while pouring!” she countered, laughter spilling from her lips.  
    
 “Okay, okay.” Makoto laughed as well. “It was my fault.”  
    
 It was a large room, feudal Japanese in style at her request. The council denied her at first, but Haruka pulled strings. On her birthday, Rin had managed to get a day pass and took her shopping, while Makoto and Haruka changed the dreaded white cell into a flourish of colours. When she returned, Gou had been too stunned for words; she couldn’t say her thanks, but she cried and hugged them tight instead.  
    
 Haruka stepped in, closing the door behind him.  
    
 Gou looked up. “Haru!”  
    
 Makoto looked over his shoulder and grinned. “You made it.”  
    
 “Yeah.” He pulled off his mantle and let it fall to the floor, clanging as the metal hit the ground. He rubbed his shoulder and walked over. “Got everything done.”  
    
 “More council bickering?” Gou grabbed the third cup and began pouring from the cast iron teapot. “Wasn’t too bad?”  
    
 “Ten hours,” Haruka muttered. He took his seat at the low table. He sat on a cushion, cross-legged, and dipped his head.   
    
 “Ah.” Makoto looked at Gou. “Don’t spill, Kou-chan.”  
    
 Chuckles began to bubble in Gou’s chest, but she put the teapot down without any mess. She pushed the cup towards Haru and smiled. “Here.”  
    
 Haruka took the cup in both hands and nodded again. He glanced at the tea, lime green in colour, and the smallest fraction of a smile appeared on his lips. Gyokuro, a rich green tea from Japan—and not the commercial garbage, either: Rin had been sure to get her the best of the best. He took in the aroma, warm, reminding him of times the four of them would have tea together and just talk about their day. He brought it to his lips and the tea carried hints of sea salt and the flavour of roasted nuts. It was savory, a dash of salt, but also a sweetness in the aftertaste. “Thank you, Kou.”  
    
 Gou smiled, but her smile wavered for half a second. “I heard… you and my brother are, fighting.”  
    
 Haruka put the cup down. As much as he wanted to, he didn’t glare sidelong at Makoto. Instead, he looked up at her, saying nothing.  
    
 Gou sighed, smoothing her pink skirt beneath the table. “I’m a little scared, actually.”  
    
 “Huh?” Makoto blinked. “Why?”  
    
 “I know you two fight a lot…” Gou looked up. “And I know Rin’s always been too brash… So, without you guys around, I just. Sousuke always kept him in line, Makoto always made sure he was okay, Haru you always kept him focused… and, I know I never met him, but Nagisa made Rin into someone people can depend on.”  
    
 Haruka’s fingers twitched around his cup at the name, but he said nothing, only taking another sip.  
    
 “I just…” Gou scratched the back of her head, the same way Rin always did. “Now he’s all alone.”  
    
 “He has a new friend,” Haruka pointed out.  
    
 Makoto glanced at him. “Jealous?”  
    
 “No. I’m happy.” Haruka put his cup down. “He… doesn’t want anything to do with me. I’m sure Sousuke feels the same way, wherever he is. I’m not worried. Rin won’t leave The Eye. As long as you’re here, he’ll stay… and as long as he has a reason to stay, he won’t do anything too reckless.”  
    
 Gou’s eyes widened, and then she laughed.  
    
 Haruka blinked. “What?”  
    
 “Nothing! Sorry!” Gou tilted her head to the side. “You still care about onii-chan, don’t you?”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “I hate him… but I love him too. We’re, all… family.”  
    
 Makoto smiled at that, looking away.  
    
 Haruka moved one hand under the table, slipping his fingers between Makoto’s.  
    
 Makoto blinked, looking at their hands, before a bigger smile formed on his face.  
    
 “Geez.” Gou sipped her tea. “You guys are cute.”  
    
 Makoto’s cheeks warmed and he gave a nervous laugh.  
    
 Haruka just graced them with one of his rare smiles and sipped his tea.  
    
 “Haru…” Gou adjusted her shirt. “Be there for Rin… please? Look after him.”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “I will.”  
    
 Makoto grinned.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 After another hour, Makoto and Haruka eventually left. Haruka had donned his mantle again. Makoto held his hand; and Haruka, who hated public displays of affection, let it happen because he knew it mattered. When they stepped in the elevator, Makoto broke away. Haruka looked at him.  
    
 “About what you said…” Makoto smiled. “About being there for Rin? You were serious, weren’t you?”  
    
 “No.”  
    
 Makoto paused. “What?”  
    
 “I wasn’t.” Haruka hit the button and watched the doors close. “I can’t be there for someone who doesn’t want me there.”  
    
 “But, you promised Kou—”  
    
 Haruka turned his head, silencing him with one look. “Kou doesn’t need to know I’m spying on them.”  
    
 Makoto swallowed hard. “Haru…”  
    
 “Makoto… if they don’t want to tell me, fine.” His eyes hardened. “But if they’re not telling you either… that worries me.”  
    
 Makoto felt his chest relax, but his shoulders tighten. “Haru...”  
    
 Haruka shook his head. “Don’t give me that. I don’t know what they’re going to do, but Rin will be the end of himself. I’ll let him do what he wants, but I’ll intervene if he’s going too far.”  
    
 “So, you want to protect him?”  
    
 “You really…” Hurt swirled in Haruka’s blue eyes. “Have to ask me that?”  
    
 “Maybe I do, Haru.” Makoto swallowed hard. “You’re not the person you used to be.”  
    
 Haruka looked away. “So even you are turning against me…”  
    
 Makoto’s eyes widened and he put up both hands. “Haru! That’s not what I said!”  
    
 The doors opened.  
    
 “I have other duties.” Haruka stepped out. “I’ll see you later.”  
    
 Makoto watched him walk off, biting his lip. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blond walk in and hit a button, but Makoto was looking at his feet.  
    
 “Awww,” a he laughed . “Relationship troubles?”  
   
 Makoto shrugged. “Yeah, guess you could say that.”  
   
 “You’ll figure it out, Mako-chan.”  
    
 Makoto turned in surprised, slamming his back against the elevator walls… but instead of a short blond Japanese boy, there was a tall, dark, woman with blue hair. She had her headphones in, so she didn’t notice his movement. Makoto relaxed and frowned, knowing for sure he had heard a guy’s voice, and that voice could only be… The only person who called him that was… But… He rubbed his forehead. “Maybe I just need more sleep… or something…”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “This one,” Nitori declared. “This ritual is the one we need.”  
    
 They were sitting in the kitchen, across from Rei, while Momotarou was cooking.  
    
 Rin glanced at the page and looked at the diagram of an ugly woman with four arms. “Shi… ko, mey? Did I say that right?”  
    
  “Yes. Remember how Izanami sent an army of the dead after Izanagi?” Nitori glanced up at him. “A part of that group were the Shikome—the ugly women of the underworld. They’re apparently old hags, and it says here.” He pointed to the text with his finger. “They know about the passing of souls. One of these women will be able to tell us about Nagisa’s spirit… but.”  
    
 “But?”  
    
 “It says we’ll need fifteen witches…” Nitori glanced up. “We could probably pull it off with candles and reagents that will boost our power, but it’ll be dangerous. Really, really dangerous.”  
    
 “Leave that to me, bud.” Rin smirked. “Rituals are my middle name. I’ll design one that will work to our strengths.”  
    
 Rei frowned, adjusting his black glasses. “How many of us are going to take part in this ritual?”  
    
 Nitori looked at Rin, then at Rei. “Rin and I talked about this earlier… We’re dealing with the dead. A thousand things can go wrong when you deal with the dead. The two of us should take care of it, so… if we do die from it, you guys can tell The Eye about Nagisa.”  
    
 Rei pursed his lips. “I see… that’s… alright with me.”  
    
 Momotarou put the lid on the pan and looked at the table. “Okay.”  
    
 Rei looked over to him. “You’re not going to complain?”  
    
 Momotarou pouted. “Well I want to help and all, but these two… they’re serious. I’ll just get in their way.”  
    
 Rei sighed. “I have a feeling I would do the same. Rituals were never my strong point, I’m afraid.”  
    
 “But!” Momotarou frowned. “Nagisa… was like a big brother to me, so if you guys need help with anything! Just… just ask us, okay?”  
    
 Nitori smiled. “We will.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 They moved to the living room, where they sat on the floor in front of a low table. Rin had opened a new document on his laptop.  
    
 “Oh!” Nitori smiled. “That’s a cool program, what is it?”  
    
 “Ritius,” Rin muttered. “It helps create a visual of the ritual, and gives a rough estimation of forces involved, so you don’t end up killing yourself. Also helps keep track of things like geographic elements and suppression auras.”  
    
 “Ohhh.” Nitori’s smile turned playful. “Here I was thinking you were great with rituals when you really just used software!”  
    
 “Hey!” Rin snarked. “I’ll have you know I helped design this! And I only use it for big shit, like summoning the dead. I’m awesome!”  
    
 Nitori laughed and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “I’m teasing.”  
    
 Rin felt like an idiot, but whatever. He rubbed his tongue stud against the roof of his mouth. “I’ll probably have to burn through all these reagents Makoto got me… We’re going to need sage, for sure. We need to purity if we’re going to summon the undead.”  
    
 “Add basil,” Nitori suggested. “Basil deals with happiness… and a happy spirit might be cooperative.”  
    
 “Right, but not too much. Don’t want some insanely happy crazy woman either.” Rin typed along the keyboard. “I’m worried about the candles, though… We’re going to need to do something extreme.”  
    
 “We have to, Rin.”  
    
 “Well… I was thinking, there are two numbers of death.” Rin looked at him. “Four and thirteen. We’ll have one at the centre, surrounded by four in the inner, then us on either side, surrounded by twelve.” He quickly made the diagram on his laptop and showed it to Nitori.  
    
 Nitori had a feeling he knew where this was going. “What colours are we going for…? Because if we’re using thirteen…”  
    
 “Yeah, the centre will be white, but… the outer twelve should be black.” Rin swallowed hard. “Thirteen will give the negative forces some balance, but it will be chaos… I’m, I’m kind of worried since I’ve used black candles twice recently.”  
    
 “Twice?”  
    
 “Well, one to find the shrine, the other to help Momotarou find the Chrysalis.” Rin rubbed his jaw. “Using black candles builds up negative forces… so, I don’t know. I’ll put you in danger this way, but we need to do it.”  
    
 “I’m…” Nitori put his hands in his lap and squeezed them together. “I’m a Capricorn.”  
    
 Rin looked over. “Wait, that means your spirit colour is black?”  
    
 Nitori nodded, swallowing hard. “Except… I’m not in tune with my stars; I can’t even do an astral projection. I’ll bear the burden of the black candles, but…”  
    
 “We gotta strengthen your astral fortitude I’m guessing?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 Rin pulled out his tome and flipped the pages to Capricorn. “Let’s see… ginger, chamomile, patchouli… Oh, sandalwood! Makoto gave me really good ones, I think.” He put his tome down and opened his chest of reagents. He shuffled through it before he picked some up. “Here.”  
    
 Nitori grabbed one, feeling the fine smooth wood with his thumb. “Wow, these are really high quality…”  
    
 “Problem is even if you’re in tune with your stars, you’ll need a big power boost.” Rin turned to his laptop, adding Nitori’s sign and the sandalwood to the projection. “Yeah. I was right. If we make the four candles purple… But.” He turned back to his reagent box.  
    
 “But?”  
    
 “I’ve been using a lot of black and purple,” he admitted, “Want to make sure I have… Yeah, we’re good. What else should we add?”  
    
 “Well, Shikome are usually female, right? So we want to make sure we bring a spirit that identifies female. Rosemary and thyme, maybe?”  
    
 “Mhm. Good one. Also, amaranth.”  
    
 “Oh.” Nitori perked up. “And ginger!”  
    
 Rin froze, eyes widening, cheeks warming pink.  
    
 Nitori blinked. “What? Ginger is good for Capricorns, and it offers us fiery protection—we’re using candles and you’re fire elemental…”  
    
 “W-Well, y-yeah.” Rin swallowed hard. “But g-ginger is uh, also used to heat up sexual affairs and, uh… awaken love, and shit l-like that…”  
    
 Nitori’s face invented a new shade of red.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Momotarou and Nitori were both dressed in traditional shrine garbs: Red trousers and white kimono jacket. Momotarou and Rei stood several steps away from the ring of spirit essence that had been gathered.  
    
 “Remember,” Rei warned, “After this, the time limit starts.”  
    
 Momotarou crossed his arms, nails digging into his arms as he kept himself calm. “Good luck!”  
    
 “Thank you.” Nitori smiled, sitting cross-legged, across from Rin.  
    
 Rin had changed the design slightly: One white candle was at the centre, a space back were the twelve black candles surrounding it, followed by Rin and Nitori on opposite sides with four firebowls filled with herbs (so that it went one, twelve, six; six would help lessen the burden of twelve black candles), and then the four purple candles around it.  
    
 Nitori swallowed hard. “Are you ready?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “You?”  
    
 “Yep…”  
    
 Rin nodded, slapping his hands together. He closed his eyes and imagined fire; he imagined fire at the centre, spreading outwards in a perfect circle.  
    
 The candle at the centre lit, then the twelve did; the four firebowls began to spark before fire crackled, and, then, the four outer candles lit.  
    
 Rin opened his eyes. “This parts on you. Just gather the forces and I’ll summon the Shikome.”  
    
 Nitori nodded, putting his hands together in prayer before he closed his eyes.   
   
 The sky darkened with a heartbeat of thunder.  
   
 Nitori’s shadow twirled under him, as if a light source was spinning around his body. His shadow widened, becoming a perfect circle. Nitori felt oxygen become thin around him, but he focused. Phantom screams licked at his ears, but he ignored it. Black fluid built up in his eyes and a single black tear fell. He gasped as darkness began to extend from his forehead, giving him shadow horns. When he opened his eyes, the white of his eyes were black, and but his blue irises were still their original colour, if only a little brighter. His voice, however, had dropped four octaves: “Summon her.”  
    
 Momotarou jumped back.  
    
 Rei paled.  
    
 Rin nodded. He closed his eyes, and heard a whirl of someone tugging thin metal. He opened his eyes and noticed black cords coming out of the candles. He looked left, then right.  
    
 Nitori felt his chest squeeze. “What’s wrong?”  
    
 “I didn’t start the summoning yet.” Rin looked up where the cords began to gather. “Shit, we fucked up! Rei, get ready!”  
    
 Rei pulled out his blade.  
    
 “Wait.” Nitori’s eyes widened. “I….”  
    
 A gust of black wind extinguished every fire, and the spirit essence had disappeared as well. Black strings rose from the candles and bowls. The strings came together at the centre and swirled.  
    
 “I…” Nitori gasped. “I know this spirit.”  
    
 The metal wires coiled together, making sound of their tension before they formed a wireframe.  
    
 Rin’s jaw tightened. “You…”  
    
 The spirit gave a high pitched laugh. “Ah,” it said. “How nice of you to give me a voice-box this time, child.”  
    
 “Rin.” Rei glanced at him. “You know her too?”  
    
 “She…” Rin swallowed hard. “You’re the one who…”  
    
 The face of wires just smiled.


	14. Strawberry-Sakura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo~! The story broke 50k words. Well, here's Chapter 14! 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> * * *

 The four of them stood where they were, the courtyard of the shrine. A breeze blew by, rustling their clothes and hair as they stared at her. Her. The face of wires—or, rather—the Lady of Wires, as she had now developed a full form and even clothing, was still. Her clothes were similar to that of Nitori and Momotarou: long trousers that had the touch of red to them and a kimono jacket that was grey, unlike the black wires. She stood where she was, staring at the Shinto torii, the red archways that signified it was a shrine.  
   
 They had attempted to talk to her, but she only raised her hand every time. When Rin had asked for the third time, Nitori stopped him. Nitori took Rin’s hand, holding it, and asked him to wait. Rin stared at him for a while, but put trust in his judgement.  
   
 Momotarou seemed equally as confused as Rin, but Rei seemed to be catching on to what Nitori understood.  
   
 The Lady of Wires let out a sigh as she examined the torii once more. “They say people,” her voice was a little high, but held the depth of her wisdom, “Are just flowing in the river of time, but that is incorrect. It is time that is merely the river of people moving forward, bumping against each other, merging, separating. In this river, there is the one soul you seek… a small drop of little water.”  
   
 Rin’s throat tightened. “Nagisa.”  
   
 “I sense…” She turned to them. “So much pain from that little drop of water. So very much pain, from that boy I once knew.”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin stepped forward. “You knew Nagisa?”  
   
 “I knew it!” Nitori clasped his hands together. “Sensei!”  
   
 Rin paused.  
   
 Momotarou’s jaw dropped. “Hazuki-banana!”  
   
 Rei smacked the back of his head. “Basama! The honourific is basama!”  
   
 “Hazuki-basama!” Momotarou clutched his head. “Owwie…”  
   
 “Oh little Momotarou…” The Lady of Wires smiled. “How much you’ve grown and how little you’ve changed.” She turned to Rin. “Chiyo Hazuki, Nagisa’s grandmother, and the founder of the Mahō.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Nagisa’s, grandmother? Founder of the Mahō, so you’re not a Shikome? But just a normal witch?”  
   
 “Sadly, yes… although, they did call me the witch of the dead.”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “Witch of the dead?”  
   
 “Malefica de Funus,” she corrected. “The Eye wanted to make everything Latin back then, but they could barely speak the language well. But I was the witch of funerals, witch of death, witch of the dead, take your pick. I died six years ago… Ah, the number repeats itself, does it?”  
   
 “Please elaborate,” Rei said politely. “The number repeats itself?”  
   
 “I learned what I was when I was six, like little Aiichiro.” She smiled. “But… I believe I was twelve when the Second World War had begun… Witches never battled in human wars, but war brought misery, pain… deep hatred, injustice that would torment spirits far beyond their deaths.”  
   
 Rin’s face hardened. “Chrysalises.”  
   
 The Lady nodded. “You battled them quite well, alongside my grandson… but sadly you only took down a fraction of what I had to deal with.”  
   
 Rin’s eyebrow twitched. “No way… how tough was your squad?”  
   
 “Oh, I had no squad.” She sighed. “I didn’t need one, only my husband who was a support-type, because I was like Aiichiro.”  
   
 Nitori put his hands together. “Ch-Chiyo Hazuki was a psion.”  
   
 “Psion?” Rin’s eyes widened and he stared at her. “You’re a psion! And you fought Chrysalises?”  
   
 “Ah, The Eye knows so little…” She looked up. “Only a psion can truly fight a Chrysalis.”  
   
 “Whoa…” Momotarou scratched his cheek. “What do you mean by that?”  
   
 “There are four branches of magic,” she explained, “Elementalists bring forth the natural world from the texture of their soul. Shades bring the power of light and darkness from their heart. Supports create shields and restore wounds from the energy of their own body. The source of power for a psion…” She tapped her forehead. “Is the mind. Psions can manipulate reality through telekinesis, force fields, black holes. We use our spirit essence and our mental fortitude together.”  
   
 Rin turned to Nitori. “So he can… fight a Chrysalis in a way I can’t?”  
   
 “Do you need proof?” She cocked her head to the side. “You have seen how he stopped a Necrosis. Far from perfect, Aiichiro, but wonderfully done for your first. You’ve made your teacher proud.”  
   
 Nitori’s cheeks flushed and he bowed. “Th-Thank you!”  
   
 She moved metallic strands of hair out of eyes. “A black hole eats away at spirit essence, but it cannot eat a soul, a heart, a body, nor a mind. The black hole will eat the Chrysalis, and free any spirit trapped inside.”  
   
 “So!” Rin clasped Nitori’s shoulders. “You… you’re the only one who can free Nagisa! And let his spirit pass on!”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “M-Me?”  
   
 The Lady of Wires smiled. “Yes, you.”  
   
 “Nitori! Ai!” Rin squeezed his shoulder. “I need you.”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened, but then they relaxed. He put his hand over Rin’s. “I told you, I’m here to the end for you.”  
   
 Rin pulled him into a hug.  
   
 Nitori yelped, but eventually hugged back. “But there’s, so much we need to know!” He backed away, turning to his teacher. “Sensei, where is Nagisa’s soul? Will he manifest again?”  
   
 “Hmm…” She put her hands together. “Nagisa, may very well manifest into another Chrysalis, if worst comes to worst; because, after all, Rin Matsuoka, you’ve learned nothing.”  
   
 Rin let go of Nitori. “What?”  
   
 “Did you ever wonder why I guided you to the shrine? Why that spirit even helped you? It’s quite simple. It’s not because I thought you were smart, or because I thought you deserved answers, but because I knew you wouldn’t shy away from your responsibility.”  
   
 “My… responsibility? What responsibility do I have?”  
   
 “Learned, nothing…” She shook her head. “I’ll show you. You’ve supplied me with amazing force through your ritual, so I shall show you. Nagisa lived a life full of despair; he breathed through the gale of his own sorrows. Dark secrets cloud his existence before he was born. But in life, he too was in pain. He was smart for his age: He knew the Mahō would not stay forever. He went to The Eye to represent the Mahō, because he burdened himself with protecting the shrine, and Aiichiro.”  
   
 Nitori swallowed hard.  
   
 “He lived a life in fear, forcing himself to do things he didn’t want to, forcing himself through despair, hatred, rejection, pain, anguish.”  
   
 “I knew it.” Rei looked away. “His parents abandoned him, and he was stuck in the Mahō. He kept saying he wanted to go to The Eye because he was unable to see the world he wanted here—I had a feeling, what he wanted more than anything, was to spend the rest of his days at the shrine. He threw away what he wanted for us…”  
   
 Momotarou’s eyes widened. “What?”  
   
 “Nagisa…” Nitori looked down. “And that… got him killed…”  
   
 “It’s not all a sad tale.” The Lady of Wires smiled. “In his life, he found something, and another emotion was born.” She opened her hands and a sphere of brilliant colours swirled before expanding, consuming them in light. Through her powers of a psion, she manifested a vision in reality.  
   
 White-grey metal walls made a hallway.  
   
 “This is…?” Rin looked around. “The Eye?”  
   
 “Rin.” Nitori pointed forward. “That’s you.”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin looked and indeed saw himself, walking out of the medical ward, and behind ‘himself’ was Nagisa running towards him. “Wait, this is…”  
   
   
 “RinRin!”  
   
 The Rin from the vision looked over his shoulder as the footsteps raced forward. Before he could even register the blond hair and pink eyes, he felt Nagisa jump on his back. The impact threw him forward and he had to take several steps to get balance again. “Holy shit!” He grabbed Nagisa’s legs in a piggyback ride. “Are you trying to put me back in the medical ward?”  
   
 Nagisa wrapped his arms around Rin and pushed his forehead against the back of his neck. “I was… scared.”  
   
 Rin’s expression softened.  
   
 “I didn’t… I thought you were going to…”  
   
 “You, heh, Nagi, you were amazing out there.”  
   
 Nagisa raised his head. “Huh?”  
   
 “You’re the reason I made it out alive, Nagisa, you fucking… penguin of terror.”  
   
 Nagisa laughed and nuzzled the back of Rin’s neck. “Really?”  
   
 “Hell yeah.”  
   
 “Rin.” He hugged him tighter. “Would it be weird if I said you’re kinda like an older brother to me?”  
   
 Rin blinked. “Not really… I mean, it’s kinda true…”  
   
 “Really?” Nagisa cocked his head to the side. “So you think of me as your little brother?”  
   
 “Hm.” Rin looked down. “You’re actually my sister’s age. You remind me of her, a little bit. When you two whine, you sound identical.”  
   
 Nagisa cackled. “You have a sister? Why haven’t I met her?”  
   
 Rin didn’t reply.  
   
 Nagisa’s smile faded. “That’s okay! You don’t have to tell me, RinRin. I’m just really glad I met you guys.”  
   
 “I’m glad they convinced me to take you.”  
   
 “Huh?” Nagisa pouted. “You didn’t want me?”  
   
 Rin began walking to the café. “Not really.”  
   
 Nagisa gasped.  
   
 “You don’t remember? Well, neither did Haru at first, but… he turned around. I think it’s because you had a really high score. I mean, Sousuke, Makoto, and I all scored high, but none of us broke ninety percent. From what I got from Haru, I think he knows it’s lonely at the top.”  
   
 Nagisa rested his chin on Rin’s shoulder.  
   
 “But, in our own way…” Rin thought about Sousuke and Makoto. “All five of us are kinda like outcasts.”  
   
 “Huh?” Nagisa squeezed him super hard, despite protests. “So we’re kind of like a family!”  
   
 “Pfft. You dumbass.”  
   
 “What? What?”  
   
 “Nothing. Yeah… Family.”  
   
   
 The Lady of Wires whisked her hands through the air, making the image fade away, and another one took its place. This one took place in a mission briefing room. He saw Nagisa and Makoto.  
   
   
 “N-Nagisa…” Makoto scratched the back of his head. “I’m sorry.”  
   
 Nagisa smiled. “About what?”  
   
 “Just… overreacting.”  
   
 “I don’t think you overreacted…”  
   
 Makoto blinked. “You don’t?”  
   
 Nagisa shook his head and grinned. “I… really hated those guys… They picked on me for so long, so it was cool, watching you threaten them—they looked like they were going to piss their pants!”  
   
 Makoto stayed silent.  
   
 “Thank you.” Nagisa put his hands behind his back and shifted his weight onto one leg. “You’re really cool, Makoto. I feel really safe knowing you’re on my team. But! You protected me this time, so in battle I’m going to protect you! I promise.”  
   
   
 The image changed; it was the Shrine.  
   
   
 “Hey,” Nitori said as he nudged Momotarou. “Make dinner for four tonight.”  
   
 Momotarou blinked. “We’re having guests?”  
   
 “Nagisa’s back.” Nitori grinned. “For a week, he’s got some time off.”  
   
 “Nagisa’s back!? Where?” He moved away but Nitori’s hand stopped him.  
   
 “He’s… with Rei right now. Let’s give them some space.”  
   
 Momotarou nodded about eighteen times.  
   
 “Ai-chan!” Nagisa, riding Rei’s piggyback style, was grinning like an idiot. “I knew you were a soldier of love and justice!”  
   
 “Nagisa!” Rei shouted. “Get off my back this instant!”  
   
 Nagisa nuzzled the back of Rei’s head. “But I’ve been on my feet all day…”  
   
 “Nagisa! This is indecent! It’s not beautiful!”  
   
 Nagisa snickered. “I’m not beautiful, Rei-chan?”  
   
 Rei gawked. “Of course y-you are!” A line of red streaked his face, from one cheek to another.  
   
 Momotarou burst out laughing.  
   
 “Momo-chan!” Nagisa shouted despite them being next to each other. “I missed you guys…”  
   
 Momotarou grinned. “We missed you too!”  
   
 Nitori nodded. “Are you getting along with your new team?”  
   
 “Yeah!” Nagisa laughed. “They’re like family to me, it’s weird, but I like it!”  
   
 Nitori paused. “You’re a lot happier than last time you were here.”  
   
 “Am I?” Nagisa grinned and smooched the side of Rei’s head. “I guess I am.”  
   
 Rei smiled. “I’m glad.”  
   
   
 The Lady of Wires brought forth another image, taking place on a sidewalk at night.  
   
   
 “Haru-chan!”  
   
 “Drop the ‘-chan’.”  
   
 Nagisa clutched onto his arm and hugged him tight. “Noo!” He rubbed his head against Haruka’s shoulder. “I wanna call you Haru-chan…”  
   
 “Loser.” Haruka did his best to hide his smile, but it was still visible.  
   
 Nagisa laughed and looked up. “Makoto told me they’re considering nominating you for the Lower Council. That’s awesome!”  
   
 Haruka shrugged and kept walking.  
   
 “What? You’re not interested? Why?”  
   
 Haruka didn’t say anything; he just kept walking.  
   
 “You could… totally make The Eye better for witches and stuff.”  
   
 “It’s all politics, bullshit.” Haruka shrugged. “Don’t want it.”  
   
 “Hmm, okay.” Nagisa broke away and began walking next to him.  
   
 Haruka glanced over. “Why?”  
   
 “Well!” Nagisa realised he said that too fast, too loud, and put his hands together. “Well… I wish I could get nominated. I would totally go on.”  
   
 “You?” Haruka raised an eyebrow. “Politics?”  
   
 “Yeah! I mean… I don’t know, if I would be strong enough, but there’s… There’s so much I want to change!” Nagisa saw Haruka’s questioning look and he laughed. “I don’t know, but so much! I just want to make the world better.”  
   
 “Nothing needs to get better.” Haruka looked away. “Doesn’t affect me.”  
   
  “Well, what about like… bullying?”  
   
 Haruka glanced over.  
   
 “You were picked on right?” Nagisa rubbed his hands together. “Well in normal school, not witching school, but I was picked on a lot too. In a way, politics is just adults bullying each other into agreeing with their opinions, isn’t it? I know you’re not dumb, Haru-chan. I know you know how oppressive The Eye is… I mean, we’re not even allowed saying anything bad about the High Council. Maybe… Maybe I’m just being a dumb kid, or maybe I’m being naïve, but I think about what The Eye could be if everyone could be themselves and speak their mind.”  
   
 “Hm.” Haruka thought about it. “Yeah, I guess I see what you mean.”  
   
 “Haru-chan! If I were you, I would make the whole world better for all the witches, and… I would make strawberry and sakura lattes the official drink of The Eye!”  
   
 Haruka just stared.  
   
 “Ah, forget it.” Nagisa scrambled his hair. “I’m dumb.”  
   
 “No.”  
   
 “Hm?” Nagisa looked over.  
   
 “I’ll… think about it.”  
   
 “Which part? Making the world better? Or the latte bit?”  
   
 Haruka smiled. “Both.”  
   
   
 Rin dropped to the ground.  
   
 The Lady of Wires conjured another image.  
   
   
 Upon the blue-black creature’s body, a ray of light shot down from the sky. Sousuke looked up. “Nagisa!”  
   
 The spirit, floating in the air, opened its eyes. “Sousuke…”  
   
 “Nagisa!” Sousuke threw his blade to the side, wrapping his arms around the blond. “Nagisa…”  
   
 Nagisa hugged him tight, eyes widening. The Chrysalis body behind him began to break apart, shatter. “Sousuke… what have I… what have I done? I hurt them… I hurt you.”  
   
 “It’s okay, Nagisa. It’s okay.”  
   
 “I hurt… I hurt Haru-chan! A-And Mako-chan!” His phantasmal eyes filled with tears. “And Rin-chan, and you… I hurt all of you, I’m like some…”  
   
 “Nagisa, listen to me.” Sousuke moved away so he stared in his eyes. “None of this was your fault.”  
   
 “You guys…” Nagisa began to shake. “You guys gave me a family, gave me love, and all I did was hurt you! I’m… I’m just, a big bully…”  
   
 “No! Nagisa, you’re a hero.” Sousuke smiled. “None of us would have made it here without you!”  
   
 Nagisa’s eyes widened and his spirit began to evaporate.  
   
 “Nagisa!”  
   
 “Tell them, I said bye-bye.”  
   
 “Wait! There’s still so much we have to tell you!”  
   
 “It’s okay…” Nagisa nodded. “I think, I know what you want to say. I can finally think clearly again. It’s so nice!” He laughed. “I have to go through Apoptosis, so it’s okay. Let me go.”  
   
 Sousuke’s hands loosened around the spirit and it began to dissipate.  
   
 “Tell them, I love them, okay?”  
   
 “Nagisa…”  
   
   
 The images faded and they returned to the courtyard. Rin was still on his knees, looking at the ground.  
   
 Nitori dropped next to him. “Rin?”  
   
 “I…” Rin’s hands balled into fists. “I accused… Haru of lying, of using Nagisa’s death for himself… I accused Sousuke of not properly sending off his spirit… I… I…”  
   
 “You.” Chiyo Hazuki lifted her chin as she glared at him. “Are disgusting.”  
   
 Rin looked up. “What?”  
   
 “You _disgust_ me.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened.  
   
 “Nagisa Hazuki died the death of hero, giving his life for his comrades, and… the four of you, all you’ve done…” She took a deep breath before hissing, “Is waste it!” She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Nagisa gave his life. My grandson gave his life for you! And you don’t even honour what he did.”  
   
 Rin stood up. “What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped, “I didn’t waste his sacrifice!”  
   
 She slapped her hands together and in her place the image of Nagisa stood. To his left side were images of Rei, Nitori, and Momotarou; to his right side was Rin, Haruka, Makoto, Sousuke, Miho, several people Rin recognised from The Eye, even Gou. “Nagisa,” her voice was now his, “Was but a drop of water in the river of people. He was one drop, and yet he touched so many, impacting their lives. When he left…”  
   
 Nagisa’s image faded, returning to the wireframe woman.  
   
 The images of Rei and Sousuke were the first to disappear, and soon the others did as well.  
   
 “Nagisa had brought so many people closer together, and now you sit and bicker at each other. Would Nagisa have wanted his death to mean the death of his family?” She glared. “Would he have wanted his sacrifice to be the thing that destroyed the love he created? You still don’t understand… You took away the meaning of his death.”  
   
 Rin took a step back.  
   
 “You wonder how his soul could be corrupt?” She swiped her arm to the side. “Even in death, all he has now is despair! How… how could you be surprised, that his soul is suffering? When you…” She pointed at Rin. “All of you.” She moved her finger over to Rei. “Are all so damaged by him?”  
   
 “I…” Rin dropped to the ground again. “Fuck!” He punched the ground. “Fuck… how could I? How are so…? I’m sorry… I’m so sorry!”  
   
 “Don’t be sorry.” She shook her head. “Sorry is not an action of change.”  
   
 Rin looked up. “What?”  
   
 “If you want to put his soul to rest, you must continue what you have done.”  
   
 Nitori squeezed his hands together. “But, you… you were supposed to tell us, and give us answers about Nagisa!”  
   
 “How can I do that, when his soul is so restless?” She shook her head. “I can tell you some things: He does not live in the afterlife, nor does he live in the existence of the living. His spirit is torn and scattered, like ripped pieces of paper in a windstorm, in a whirling gale of sorrows. His memories are separate. His anger, his happiness… Nagisa is not whole.”  
   
 “Don’t…” Rin’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me… I’ll have to fight him again?”  
   
 “I have no answer. He may manifest, he may not. He may be controlled, as you have hypothesised, or perhaps he is the one in control. None of death, nor life, have the answer you seek. But, you, you have the power to find it… if you will do it.”  
   
 Rin swallowed hard. “I’ll do it.”  
   
 “Me too!” Nitori stood up. “He went to The Eye to keep me safe… this is as much as my burden as it is Rin’s!”  
   
 Rei nodded. “It’s all of ours.”  
   
 Momotarou took a deep breath. “Nagisa…”  
   
 “My, my.” She smiled. “Your resolve is strong. I can give you nothing but one word, and that word is the opposite of despair.” She looked at her hands, watching the metal coils beginning to unwind. “My magic is up. An impressive ritual, to allow me to have done so much from beyond the grave, but you are on your own from here. You are being watched, Rin Matsuoka; your amaranth will do little for you. The safety of my student lands on your shoulders.”  
   
 Rin stood up. “I’ll keep him safe.”  
   
 She nodded. “Aiichiro.”  
   
 “Yes, Sensei?”  
   
 “If you remember, once, I told you a decision would fall on your shoulders one day. That decision comes soon.”  
   
 Nitori swallowed hard.  
   
 The old woman turned to Momotarou. “You are strong, little one, for your age. You must do away with your doubts, do away with your fears and insecurities. You, too, have a role to play in this.”  
   
 Momotarou’s eyes widened. “M-Me?”  
   
 “Even a psion cannot fight a Chrysalis without a support witch on their side.”  
   
 Momotarou nodded. “I’ll do my best, Hazuki-banana!”  
   
 “Basama!” Rei shouted before whapping his head.  
   
 The woman smiled, despite her hands having disappeared. “Rei.”  
   
 Rei turned to her. “Yes, Hazuki-basama?”  
   
 “Thank you for taking care of my shrine.” She closed her eyes. “The future will be tough, but the respect I have for you is unwavering.”  
   
 Rei’s eyes widened and he bowed. “Thank you!”  
   
 “Nagisa…” She looked away, as if deciding something.  
   
 “Nagisa?” Rei looked up. “Please, tell me.”  
   
 “Nagisa had feelings for you, feelings that ran deeper than he let on.” She swallowed hard. “And I know, as much as you have tried to hide it, you reciprocate those feelings with equal fortitude of the heart… You must ready yourself for the role you have to play as well.”  
   
 Rei’s eyes widened. “I… understand.”  
   
 She nodded, looking back to Rin, then Nitori, Momotarou again, and finally Rei. “I will pray once more, to the shrine I built with my life, for you all. You must move with extra caution, for you not only have The Councils watching you, but the Iris already has a plan for any psion The Eye finds.”  
   
 Nitori swallowed hard.  
   
 Rin put an arm around his waist. “I’ll keep you safe.”  
   
 “Thanks, but…” Nitori smiled. “I’m going to keep you safe too.”  
   
 “My, my…” The Lady of Wires laughed. “You’re quite taken with each other aren’t you?” Before they could sputter a reply, she turned to the tori and began her prayer.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rei offered to clean the ritual, ordering Rin and Nitori to rest. Nitori went inside, but Rin still needed some air. He sat on the steps leading out the shrine when another redhead sat next to him. He glanced over to Momotarou, who was looking down at his lap, and nudged him with his shoulder.  
   
 He looked up, eyes filled with concern.  
   
 “Why so glum, chum?”  
   
 Momotarou laughed, shaking his head. “I just have a lot of questions… Um.” He looked at Rin. “Ai told us about your memories, about Nagisa…”  
   
 “Yeah?” Rin wasn’t that surprised. “What’s your question?”  
   
 “Why… Nagisa?” Momotarou hugged his leg. “Chrysalis corruption was probably something pretty common during the Third World War, right? How did Nagisa… give those things, a mind?”  
   
 “Uh, well.” Rin paused, looking to the torii. “I never thought about that. I always figured it was because we were healing him, managed to cleave off some of the corruption… Chrysalis corruption is nasty… he had a lot of damage, everywhere, I remember. His heart failed a couple times, but with the medical and magical help together, he made progress on his recovery. I just figured, since he was more independent, his Chrysalis was too.”  
   
 Momotarou listened, before looking at his feet.  
   
 “What? You don’t buy it?”  
   
 “Not really… I mean, I’m just a dumb kid, don’t know anything about The Eye or Chrysalises… but now I’m starting to wonder if I don’t know anything about Nagisa either.” Momo sighed. “I don’t know, it’s been a tough day… I’m just like emotionally drained, or something… But Nagisa, the more I think about it, the more he’s always been… different.”  
   
 “Different?” Rin cocked his head. “In what way?”  
   
 Momotarou shifted in his seat to face Rin. “I don’t know. Just something about him, was always off… Like he was, special, in some way.”  
   
 “Hm.” Rin poked his tongue against his cheek. “Sousuke mentioned once, that he wanted to give Nagi an I.Q. test.”  
   
 “Yeah! He was always really smart, but like… I don’t know. Just, his magic… it felt different, you know?”  
   
 Rin nodded. “It took the team some time to get used to his spirit essence… I mean it always takes me a couple days, maybe even a week, but took me at least a couple for Nagisa. Whenever Haru made bullets from Nagi’s magic, they were strong as fuck.”  
   
 “Yeah!” Momotarou repeated. “See what I mean? I guess, what I’m trying to ask is, like… was he _just_ above average? Like really, really, above average, or was it because he was… special, in some way?”  
   
 “I dunno, kid.”  
   
 “Ah, right.” Momotarou shifted back to look forward. “Of course you wouldn’t, nobody knows.”  
   
 “I don’t know if Nagisa was ‘special’, but… a lot of us compared him to Haru. Haru holds the record for the highest score on the elemental exams, and Nagisa holds the highest score for the support exams.” Rin’s eyes narrowed. “They have a lot in common, too…”  
   
 “So, if someone made Nanase into a Chrysalis, you think it’ll be like Nagisa?”  
   
 “Heh.” Rin stood up and stretched. “Haruka was better, stronger, faster, and smarter than Nagisa, than everyone. Not only is he older, but it’s been a year since then and he’s got hell of a lot more powerful. If anyone turns Haru into a Chrysalis, we’re done for. Even if the whole High Council turned against him, he’d win on a six-on-one, without a Chrysalis powering him up.”  
   
 Momotarou’s eyes widened. “Wait, so!” He shot up to his feet. “You said Nanase’s been… different lately.”  
   
 “Yeah, but not like that. Haru changed from the same thing that changed Sousuke … the same thing that changed me, the same thing that changed Makoto. By watching Nagisa die.” Rin looked forward, eyes softening. “Plus, Haru’s not infected with Chrysalis corruption.”  
   
 Momotarou swallowed hard. “How do you know?”  
   
 “Chrysalis corruption doesn’t just corrupt the mind… it damages the brain too. Your brain degenerates. Anybody who can function as a human being in everyday life isn’t a Chrysalis.” Rin scratched the back of his neck. “Plus, you’re forgetting that we would have noticed by now.”  
   
 “Oh. Yeah you guys know what to look for.” Momotarou nodded. “That makes sense…”  
   
 Rin bumped his fist against Momo’s shoulder. “Anything else you need?”  
   
 “Mmm…” He restlessly shook out his arms and legs. “I don’t know. I just want this all to be over, so we can go back to being in peace… even if we weren’t happy, I just want to go back to peace.”  
   
 Rin sighed. “I forget you’re just a kid… I hate dragging you into it, but we need you Momo. You’re our eyes.”  
   
 “Right.” Momotarou nodded. “I think I’m just going to go to bed.”  
   
 “Good plan.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “So.” Rei washed the cup with hot water. “What do you think we should do next?”  
   
 Nitori crossed his arms, looking to the entranceway of the kitchen, making sure no one was going to hear them. “I’m not sure, but the time limit is on.”  
   
 “And we don’t even have a suspect.”  
   
 “I do.”  
   
 “The two of you do?”  
   
 “Well…” Nitori sighed. “Rin doesn’t, but I do.”  
   
 Rei put the cup down and turned off the water. “Aiichiro?”  
   
 “First one is Makoto, second is Nanase.” Nitori bit his lip. “Rin will probably think they’re innocent, and I don’t have any reason not to trust them…”  
   
 “But?” Rei’s eyes narrowed.  
   
 “I don’t have any reason to trust them either.”  
   
 “And you don’t respect Rin’s view of them as innocent?”  
   
 “Yes and no.” Nitori looked at him. “I honestly don’t think either of them are guilty. I mean that. I just don’t think they have any reason to be crossed off.”  
   
 “I see…” Rei grabbed the hand towel. “And what are you going to do about it?”  
   
 “I have to prove their innocence to myself, without letting Rin know what I’m up to… I hate going behind his back, but…” Nitori put his hands together, face turning stern. “I have an idea. It’s a gamble, and I’ll risk everything, but I have to do it.”  
   
 “Risk everything.” Rei’s eyes widened. “Aiichiro Nitori—if you’re saying you’re going to declare yourself a psion—”  
   
 “No.”  
   
 Rei paused.  
   
 Nitori bit his lip. “I won’t do that. I’m not declaring myself… but I’ll be putting myself at risk of being found out.”  
   
 “Ai!” Rei grabbed his shoulders. “What are you saying?”  
   
 “I know, Rei… I know you’ve lost your family, lost Hazuki-basama, lost Nagisa… I know you don’t want to lose me too, and I know how hard you’ve worked to keep me safe. But. Rei.” Nitori looked up. “If I’m right, and this works… we’ll save everyone. Even Nagisa’s soul will go to the afterlife.”  
   
 “And if you’re wrong? And they find out!?”  
   
 Nitori was actually touched by Rei losing his cool. It made him smile. “If they find out, well, Rei… truth be told… I’m tired of running; I’m done hiding.”  
   
 “Aiichiro!”  
   
 “I’m putting my life on the line on this gamble.” Nitori slapped his arms away. “This is my choice, Rei!”  
   
 “Selfish choice! Do you have any idea how you will destroy me? Destroy Momotarou? Rin!?”  
   
 “I know.” Nitori put his head down, hands forming to fists. “But all my life I’ve been doing things for other people, or because I had to, or because I felt in debt to the shrine. So, for once.” He looked up. “This is _my_ choice!”  
   
 Rei’s eyes narrowed as he lifted his chin. “Then you better be right, Nitori.”


	15. Breakpoint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for missing my update day, but life got hectic. XD
> 
> My partner, grandmother, and cousin all decided to come visit... which... has been... brutal, to say the least. I actually had Chapter 15 ready to go for a while, just couldn't update since I was so busy with everything. Oh well, two days late, but here's the chapter. We've officially hit the 75% mark of the story, if we can stick to the plan. Enjoy!
> 
> * * *

 When Aiichiro went back to Rin’s room, there seemed to be some nonverbal agreement that they would, again, be sharing a bed. Rin had stripped himself to loose boxers, and Nitori removed his clothing, until he was in a shirt and boxers. Guilt nipped at his shoulder, but he ignored it. When Rin took a seat, Nitori slipped himself in Rin’s lap, watching those red eyes widen in surprise, but he was welcomed. He smiled, a little shyly, but he smiled. “Hey.”  
   
 “Hey.” Rin moved some of his hair back and laughed. “I’m surprised, Ai, that you’re still here… for me, I mean. After everything.”  
   
 “Of course I am.” Nitori blinked, clasping one of Rin’s hands in his own. “You need me.”  
   
 “Yeah… I really do.”  
   
 “Then, I’ll be here, for you.” Nitori looked up at him tentatively and then looked down at Rin’s chest, admiring it for a moment, but, “Rin… Chrysalises feed on emotions, and the more powerful the emotion the more they feed, right?”  
   
 “Yeah, that’s right. Different Chrysalises feed differently on different emotions, too, you know?”  
   
 “They do?”  
   
 “Yeah, like some eat up anger like no tomorrow, some love happiness, some love excitement, or sadness, disgust. I mean they eat all of it up, but they have an affinity, I guess.”  
   
 “Huh.” Nitori poked his cheek with his tongue. “So what did Nagisa feed on the most?”  
   
 “Despair.” Rin frowned. “Despair, which never made sense since Nagisa was so happy… or maybe, that, was just on the surface. It always felt like there was sorrow in him, and he just had no idea about it. When Nagisa smiled, the whole room lit up.”  
   
 “He cherished happiness more,” Nitori agreed. “Even the little things made his day, and he wouldn’t let anything take away his happiness away, I guess. Nagisa was always suffering from something or another…”  
   
 Rin looked aside. “Yeah, probably.”  
   
 “Hm.” Nitori squeezed Rin’s hand again. “There’s a lot of despair in you, too, Rin.”  
   
 “I guess… I can usually hold it back; I mean, I used to, in the war, but…”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Nitori looked up, smiling. “Whenever you’re sad, I’ll make you happy. When you’re lonely, I’ll be here…” His cheeks warmed to a pink and he gave a nervous laugh.  
   
 Rin leaned down and kissed the top of his head.  
   
 “When you fought Chrysalises, you held everything back, huh? It makes me wonder how much you’ve suppressed, repressed into your mind. I’m not even sure what I’m saying but, I guess what I’m trying to say is I actually really care about you and I’m glad I met you and I want to thank you for everything, since we’ve come so far together, and that I want to be there for you, and I want to help you.”  
   
 Rin pulled him into a hug and smiled. “Ai, you’re the best. Stay here tonight?”  
   
 “Already figured I was,” he admitted.  
   
 Rin laughed nodding. “Thank you, for everything.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Morning had come, breakfast was eaten, Rei was on the quiet side, but Nitori didn’t blame him. After all (even though he hated going behind Rin’s back, and using Rin even more) he had to make sure of what he had to make sure of. He had to. Sitting cross-legged on Rin’s bed, he rubbed the redhead’s shoulder and smiled. “Ready?”  
   
 “Not really.” Rin looked up. “I don’t want to do this.”  
   
 “We have to, Rin.”  
   
 “Why are you pushing me to do this, anyway?”  
   
 “Well.” Nitori hated lying, but he begged Rin would forgive him. “If we’re going to fight another Chrysalis, you need to do it with a clear conscious… more than that, they deserve to know.”  
   
 Rin couldn’t find a flaw in his argument so he flipped his phone open, going through his contacts until he found ‘Haru Nanase’. He hovered his thumb over the call button before he sighed and clicked it. His screen faded black as three dots moved to the right, signalling that the video call request was being sent.  
   
 It dialed, but no answer came.  
   
 “Leave a message,” Nitori urged.  
   
 “Alright fine.” His camera turned on and he sighed. “Um… hey, Haru.” He looked down, swallowing hard. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry I didn’t trust you before, but I guess I kind of… Okay, I don’t know, nothing really justifies it. But you were right. Spot on, that we were going to the forbidden libraries in Japan. We don’t need the Book of Chains anymore, we found the uh… Ai, what was it called?”  
   
 Nitori forced a smile. “Ceremonies of Izanami.”  
   
 “Yeah, that. It’s basically like the Book of the Dead, but you probably already know that.” Rin looked at the camera. “We summoned a spirit, and it ended up being… Nagisa’s grandmother. She actually, used to live here! At the shrine! But, uh… I bet you probably already know that too. I mean, the fact that Nagi’s gran’ lived here, not that we summoned her. But you’ll find that out later. We found some ways to hide what we did, but now I’m being transparent.”  
   
 Nitori nodded.  
   
 “Haru, the person behind this… we think they’re manipulating Nagisa’s spirit. It either didn’t cross over properly, or someone brought it back. There’s been Chrysalis seeds too, planted. Um… I, I don’t know how to say this, Haru, but Nagisa’s Nan showed us some of his most precious memories. Nagisa… he really did tell you to join the Lower Council. Shit. I bet he would be so proud of you, too, with your recent promotion. I know I trash-talk The Eye a lot, especially the councils, but it’s been a better place since you got there. I mean that. I mean, even a year ago, we weren’t even allowed to say bad things about the High Council, and now we can call them shitheads all we want.”  
   
 Nitori nudged his arm.  
   
 “I’m not saying you’re a shithead!” Rin clarified. “I just mean… the dictator-like rule of The Eye is fading away, and Nagisa’s dream that maybe one day, everyone can speak their mind… maybe that’s coming closer, and it’s thanks to you. Nagisa would be, so proud.” He forced a smile. “I accused you of lying, and I broke our friendship because I just… I’m sorry. I know things have always been shaky between us, but you’re still my friend, and you’re still important to me, and… like Nagi used to say: We’re family.”  
   
 Nitori watched Rin’s face, watched it distort, attempting to express the inner storm of bitter-sweetness. Nitori took Rin’s hand, squeezing it softly.  
   
 “Haru…” Rin closed his eye and a tear fell before he opened them again. “I don’t want to break up Nagisa’s family. Not when, all his life, he’s only had so little. I’m sorry I couldn’t trust you before, but I’m telling you everything now. Anyway, I’ll see you when I get back… Bye.” He hit the button to end the message, and he sent it off. Rin dropped his phone in his lap and he looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes.  
   
 Nitori wrapped his arms around Rin, squeezing him tight. “You did the right thing.”  
   
 “Yeah?”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
 “Thanks, Ai.  
   
 Nitori pressed his forehead against Rin’s arm, anything to hide his face.  
   
 The stage was set.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Nitori had a simple theory: Informing their opponent of their knowledge would illicit a reaction. Basics. Simple. Unbeknownst to Rin, Nitori already had his counter-reaction ready. But he knew, in theory at least, they had some time before either Nanase or Makoto did anything. So Nitori followed up his plan with another simple step. They were at the coffee shop again—third time they had gone. They invited Sousuke, and he came. A couple minutes late because of traffic, but he came. Nitori knew they weren’t going to be able to do it alone.  
   
 The waitress walked over and put down three drinks. “Strawberry and sakura lattes all around.”  
   
 “Thank you!” Nitori beamed.  
   
 Sousuke glanced at the drink, but looked up at them when she had left. “Rin.”  
   
 Rin took his drink and took a sip, slowly.  
   
 Nitori did the same.  
   
 Sousuke decided to grab the white mug. He stared at the warm pink drink, but he took a sip. His eyes lit up and he put it down. “I always thought it would be disgustingly sweet.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “But it is a latte, espresso and all.”  
   
 Sousuke took another sip, then a third, before he put his mug down again. “Alright. So I’m guessing this has something to do with Nagisa.”  
   
 Nitori squeezed his drink. “We made progress. We performed a forbidden ritual, and we communed with the dead. Chiyo Hazuki.”  
   
 “Hazuki?” Sousuke’s eyes widened. “Oh.” He relaxed. “That’s right; Nagisa was born at the shrine?”  
   
 “Not born at the shrine,” Nitori corrected. “His grandmother, Chiyo, lived there, but her daughter left early. Nagisa’s parents had him, but didn’t want him, from what I understand, and basically dropped him on his grandmother’s lap and left. But, yes, he doesn’t remember anything before the shrine.”  
   
 Sousuke nodded. “I see. If she was his grandmother, her spirit must have been attuned to his.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin closed his eyes. “Sousuke.”  
   
 “Yes?” Sousuke raised an eyebrow.  
   
 “I’m sorry I doubted you.” Rin opened his eyes. “She showed us his memories, you really did guide him through apoptosis, and… no, I don’t hate you for having his last moment. I never did. But the thing is, we need your help.” He glanced to Nitori before looking back at Sousuke. “That’s what we’ve asked you here for.”  
   
 “My help?” Sousuke felt his jaw tighten. “I have a feeling something’s going to happen.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “There’s been Chrysalises, spirits running wild, murders. And the missing people reports have been going up too… We haven’t been doing the usual clean up, since we’ve been busy trying to find the culprit.”  
   
 “Rin’s right,” Nitori went on, “There’s so much to do, but not a lot of time to do it.”  
   
 “I…” Sousuke sipped his drink again. “I gave up witching.”  
   
 “Sousuke!” Rin realised he said it too loud and backed up against the booth. “Sousuke, come on…”  
   
 “Sousuke-kun.” Nitori put his hands together. “I know this isn’t my place to speak, but you gave up witching when you lost Nagisa, because the suffering hurt… but now he’s the one hurting, again.”  
   
 “Nitori.” Sousuke’s eyes darkened. “Who told you that?”  
   
 “We…” Rin sighed. “We linked our minds; I showed him.”  
   
 Sousuke rubbed his jaw, doing his best not to frown or scowl.  
   
 “Sousuke, I trust Nitori.”  
   
 “That’s all fine and well, Rin, but I don’t.”  
   
 Nitori blinked. “What?”  
   
 Rin frowned. “Why not?”  
   
 “I just…” Sousuke looked at his pink drink. “Don’t trust people. Not anymore.”  
   
 “Captain.” Rin closed his eyes. “That’s our problem… all of us were hurting. I was hurting, Haru was hurting, but when Haru pushed me away I didn’t realise he was doing it because he was in pain, because he didn’t know how to deal with Nagisa. All this time, you’ve been hurting too. We lost Nagisa, and it broke us, it broke every one of us. But don’t you get it, Sousuke?” His eyes snapped open. “Nagisa sacrificed himself so we could live and be happy—not so we could suffer and resent what he did!”  
   
 Sousuke’s eyes widened and he looked to the left. “Nagisa…”  
   
 Nitori hugged himself.  
   
 “It was Ai, I mean, Nitori who helped me realised I wasn’t alone, and you aren’t alone either.”  
   
 “Rin…” Sousuke made eye-contact. “Are you prepared to do what you have to do? If you find out who is behind this, and it really is…”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “Missing people, bodies in the city, spirit essence in the air—shit’s going down and I know there’s a witch behind it. I’ll stop it, even if it’s Nagisa.”  
   
 “And…” Sousuke rubbed his jaw again. “If it’s not Nagisa?”  
   
 Rin blinked. “Huh?”  
   
 “The two of us… we know another witch who is capable of doing this.”  
   
 Nitori tensed.  
   
 Rin frowned. “What are you talking about?”  
   
 “Forget it.” Sousuke brought the mug to his lips and drank half his cup. “As far as working with you guys go, I’ll consider it… if you tell me everything, from the start. Don’t leave a single detail out.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 After the long explanation, they finished their drinks and Sousuke asked if they wanted to get some air. They paid, left the table, and stood outside on the sidewalk. The clouds were rolling in. A car drove past. Silence.  
   
 Minutes past.  
   
 Sousuke spoke first, “I made up my mind.”  
   
 Nitori put both hands to his chest. “You did?”  
   
 Rin looked at him. “What are you going to do?”  
   
 “I’ll… join your investigation.” Sousuke looked at them. “If you make Nitori leave.”  
   
 Rin stared at him. “What?”  
   
 “S-Sousuke?” Nitori blinked.  
   
 “Nitori.” Sousuke turned to him. “We’re _not_ on a first name basis.”  
   
 Nitori’s mouth snapped shut.  
   
 Rin shoved his shoulder. “Sousuke!”  
   
 “Hm.” Sousuke shook his head. “You’re in a relationship with him, aren’t you? I can practically taste his spirit essence lingering on you. Do you have any idea what you’re doing, Rin?”  
   
 Rin’s hands squeezed into fists. “Nagisa didn’t die so we could turn against each other!”  
   
 “Nagisa!” Sousuke raised his voice, “Didn’t die so you can throw our lives away fucking a psion!”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened. He took a step back, breath hitching in his throat. “R-Rin.” His entire body shook like a tremor. “You… told him…?”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened, and then he cringed, looking away.  
   
 “Rin… you… You promised!”  
   
 “That’s right.” Sousuke stepped forward. “I can turn you in whenever I want, you batshit crazy lunatic.”  
   
 Rin gasped. “Sousuke!”  
   
 “Rin.” Sousuke’s eyes burned. “I don’t know who your new friends are, but I don’t like them. My offer still stands if you want it, otherwise I’m heading to my place. I’ll send you the address if you change your mind.”  
   
 Rin shook his head. “I’m not coming. Ai is the only one I’m working with if you’re going to make me choose.”  
   
 “A fucking psion, Rin? Have you _lost_ it? Those things are just demons in the hiding, and you let him see your memories? Let me spell this out for you, Rin: You connected your mind to a psion’s. Did you even think before you did it? How do you know, without a doubt, the murderer isn’t this kid you’re fucking!”  
   
 Rin stopped. “What?”  
   
 Nitori squeezed his shirt.  
   
 Rin looked at him. “Nitori?”  
   
 “Rin!” Nitori glared. “I’ve been by your side from the very start!”  
   
 “I know that, but—”  
   
 Sousuke scoffed. “Rin, the answer is right in front of you. Didn’t you say the Chrysalis was by the Shinto shrine? Can anyone actually plant a Chrysalis…? You say Nagisa had to do it, but maybe his spirit has nothing to do with it. ‘They can plant Chrysalises’, you say… but there’s only been _one_ Chrysalis, and it’s been right next to this fucker’s home. They were growing it!”  
   
 “But!” Rin frowned. “Then…”  
   
 “And they have a barrier around their shrine and a suppression aura!” He growled. “Don’t you get it, yet? Nagisa’s dead. I sent him off! His spirit isn’t just walking around; his spirit isn’t tied to anybody. This psion has been drinking your memories like the raging sociopath he is, and making you follow whatever train of thought he wants you to!”  
   
 “No!” Rin shook his head. “He’s helping me—Nagisa’s grandmother!”  
   
 “Nagisa’s grandmother? If you do the math, how old was she when she died? A hundred and ten? Think about it, Rin, none of us have ever met Nagisa’s ‘family’. How come none of us even knew she existed except these guys? How can you believe what they’re saying? Rin… the memories his ‘grandmother’ showed you were either repeats of what you showed him or fabrications based on what you said. He’s a psion. His realm of power is the mind. He can manipulate what you saw!”  
   
 Rin looked at Nitori.  
   
 Sousuke looked at him as well. “The murderer is standing right next to you.”  
   
 “No!” Nitori’s eyes filled with tears as he shook his head. “Don’t listen to him, please… You know what he’s saying doesn’t add up! That was your ritual, you summoned the spirit!”  
   
 “No…” Rin shook his head. “No I didn’t. The spirit came on its own, remember?”  
   
 Nitori had no argument for that.  
   
 “He’s a psion, Rin. He can manipulate your perception of the world… how do you know your third eye isn’t already corrupted?”  
   
 “No!” Nitori took a step back. “There’s no proof psions corrupt other people’s third eyes! That’s an old wives’ tale!”  
   
 “Oh.” Sousuke nodded. “And we’re supposed to take your word for it? After all, your word is the only one we can account for.” He stepped between Nitori and Rin, turning to the redhead. “Don’t you get it? You’ve showed him what you’re most sensitive about, and now he’s using both Nagisa _and Kou_ to get to you.”  
   
 Rin looked up at him. “No. No I’m not.”  
   
 Sousuke frowned “You’ll take his word over mine?”  
   
 Rin hesitated to answer, looking away.  
   
 Nitori’s hands squeezed into fists. “What about you, Yamazaki? You’re the one who guided Nagisa’s spirit… if something happened, and he was still in this world, wouldn’t the most obvious answer be to blame you? You told him to wait! You told him you had more to stay while he was going through Apoptosis!”  
   
 “He went!” Sousuke yelled. “I know he did!”  
   
 “And what?” Nitori took a step forward, hands at his side. “And I’m supposed to just take your word for it? Maybe… you’re the murderer. We haven’t come across any other witch in this city besides you!”  
   
 Rin stared at the back of Sousuke’s head. “But he’s, dry…”  
   
 “Makoto said that the enemy was using shade cores. You’re a shade, Yamazaki. You could have easily, easily, created those spheres of energy as reserve and been using those as your source of power over these past few months!”  
   
 Sousuke pinched the bridge of his nose. “Now you’re not even making sense—that’s not how those cores work, Nitori.” He turned away and shoved Rin aside. “Fuck this. I’m leaving. I’m not wasting my breath on a manipulative whore like you.”  
   
 “Wait!” Rin called out, but he walked away. Rin put his hands in his pocket. His eyebrows knit together and he rubbed the stud of his tongue against the roof of his mouth, something he found calming for some reason. He turned to Nitori. “Ai, let’s go.”  
   
 Nitori took a step back. “Don’t… don’t call me that.”  
   
 “A-Ai?”  
   
 Nitori turned tail, and ran.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “Ai! Wait!” Rin chased after him, but it was an effort to catch up. In terms of straight-line running, Rin was faster, but when it came to turns and knowing the city, Nitori was making it a hard game to play. They were running through a wide alleyway when Rin finally managed to put his hand on Nitori’s shoulder.  
   
 Nitori grabbed the hand and spun; his eyes began to glow and a force wave launched from his forehead.  
   
 It sounded like breaking glass as Rin toppled through the air. He rolled across the ground and winced, forcing himself to his feet. “Ai!”  
   
 “Nitori,” he corrected. “I… I used my surname for my _safety_ Rin!”  
   
 “Ai!”  
   
 “You…” Nitori took a step back. “You told him. You told him I was a psion? Do you have any idea how… violated I am? My only comfort in this world is knowing no one knows. I didn’t even want to trust you with my secret, but I had to, and it was a really big step for me! It meant the world when I finally had someone I could trust…” Nitori’s eyes watered. “How could you do this to me? You… you’ve suffered so much, and I’ve tried my hardest to shoulder your pain, to take it from you, even if it hurt so much on top of my own pain, that I… It hurt so much it felt like it was going to break me!”  
   
 Rin opened his mouth, but what could he say? His forehead creased into frowns and he bit his lip.  
   
 “I live my life in fear, Rin.” Nitori hiccupped. “I live in hiding, and there were times where I had to hide things about myself from Rei, and Momo, and even Nagisa! Because I never felt like I could trust them, the way I trust you… but I can’t trust you. I can’t trust you either. I was never able to put my trust in someone before, and now… of course you have to remind me why!”  
   
 “Ai…” Rin didn’t know what to say. “Aiichiro…”  
   
 “I honestly, I…” Nitori clutched his chest. “I actually have feelings for you, I sympathised with you, I respected you, and I supported you! And, this whole investigation… all it’s been was you suffering and me trying to help… That’s all we’ve done, and yet you had to… I trusted you.”  
   
 “Wait!” Rin shook his head. “Look, I know it was dumb, but it was at the start. It was before… this. It was before, us.”  
   
 “Oh… so I, I never really could trust you. This whole time, I was actually like… falling in love with you, and it was poisoned from the start the whole time.” Nitori closed his eyes, pressing both hands against his face. “Geez… I’m just a joke, huh?”  
   
 “No!” Rin cringed, begging for the power to turn back time. “No!”  
   
 “I hate you.” Nitori moved his hands away and opened his eyes, tears falling. “I hate you…”  
   
 “No! I, please, let me make this right!” He ran over, grabbing Nitori’s shoulder. “Ai, please, please Ai…”  
   
 “I…” Nitori’s face twisted and psionic energy flared around him. The ground began to shake. “Hate you.” He flared his arms out, a loud blast wave erupting from his core.  
   
 Rin was thrown several feet in the air and he gasped; he did a backflip and landed, shoes grinding against the earth as he slowed down. He felt a cackle of thunder sting his side. “Ai…”  
   
 “Stay away from me!” Nitori held up one hand, ready to fire. “You’re nothing but… but a problematic, reckless… stupid, depressive asshole!”  
   
 Rin took a step back, then another.  
   
 “Stay, away!”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 When the buzzer rang, Sousuke wasn’t too surprised. He opened the door and saw Rin glaring up at him. He took a step back. “Come in.”  
   
 Rin did and closed the door behind him. “You need to apologise to Nitori.”  
   
 “I have no reason to,” Sousuke countered: “He is the murderer.”  
   
 “He isn’t…”  
   
 “You’re doubting yourself.”  
   
 Rin growled. “You’re making me doubt myself!”  
   
 “Have you honestly considered the possibility I’m just pointing out the hidden truth?”  
   
 “You’re fucking stereotyping!” Rin pointed at him. “Psions aren’t all crazy.”  
   
 “Hm. I’m stereotyping a group that is medically _confirmed_ to be psychopaths and sociopaths?”  
   
 “Gou isn’t.”  
   
 “Kou knew she would be, so she contained herself.”  
   
 “Sousuke!”  
   
 “Rin… Do you think The Eye enjoys locking up psions? Don’t you think there would be ethical concerns? They have proof. There are brain scans that show, of both anatomy and activity, that prove what psions are.”  
   
 “Nitori is functional! Fully!”  
   
 “In whatever reality you live in.” Sousuke sighed, stepping into his kitchen. “You caught me at a good time, actually. I was about to call Haru for the first time in… a year?”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened and he walked after him. “Why?”  
   
 “Reporting a psion, obviously.”  
   
 “No!” Rin grabbed his arm, tugging him. “Don’t!”  
   
 “Why not?” Sousuke glanced at him.  
   
 “Because… let me, let me confirm the murderer first!”  
   
 “You know his next murder will probably be you, right?”  
   
 Rin shook his head. “Let me, let me just, figure it out…” Tears welled in the corner of his eyes. “I only need a little bit more time, please Sousuke I’ll do anything!”  
   
 Sousuke stopped. He turned to Rin, placing a finger under his chin, pushing it up. “Anything?”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Wh-What?”  
   
 Sousuke lowered his head, capturing Rin’s lips with his own.  
   
 Rin’s eyes shot wide open, but he eventually pushed him off. “Whoa, I’m… I’m with Nitori…” Kind of. “Don’t.”  
   
 “I’ll report him otherwise.”  
   
 “Are you…” Rin scowled. “Blackmailing me?”  
   
 Sousuke’s eyes widened when he realised that was exactly what he was doing. Shame burning inside him, he looked away. “All I’ve wanted…” He moved his hand to cup Rin’s cheek, stroking a thumb over it. “Why? Why can’t we just…?”  
   
 Rin saw Sousuke lean in again. He told himself to move away, but for some reason he didn’t. Was it exhaustion? He told himself to move away, yelling at himself in his mind, but he didn’t. His brain, which had been on overdrive for the past few days, and now… Those lips hit his again, and the next thing he knew, his hands were exploring Sousuke’s body, feeling his shirt, then his skin. It felt… good. He didn’t know how or why, but their mouths moved against each other, clothes were peeled and thrown aside, and Rin’s hand squeezed Sousuke’s length…  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 If guilt and shame weren’t enough, regret was also poured into the mix. Rin awoke a couple hours later, sore as fuck. He looked over to Sousuke, who seemed like he was resting peacefully, and then he looked down to their naked bodies. “Well, fuck.”  
   
 Sousuke opened his eyes. “Yes, yes we did.”  
   
 “Ah shut up.” Rin threw his legs over the bed and got out. He rubbed his neck and looked for his clothes, picking them up and putting them on as he made his way into the kitchen. “Sousuke.”  
   
 “Sousuke’s not here right now.” He yawned. “Leave a message after the beep.”  
   
 “Dickwad, I’m eating your food!”  
   
 Sousuke lifted his back, sitting with one knee up, arm resting on that knee, bed sheets pooling at his waist. “Okay, but don’t touch the onigiri… I’m saving those.”  
   
 “Fuck you,” Rin muttered. He opened the fridge and saw said rice balls, formed into perfect triangles. He grabbed one. “Made these yourself?”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
 “Wow.” Rin laughed. “You could never shape them right. Nice.” He took a bite and began chewing his anger away. “Wow.” He swallowed. “These are good, too.”  
   
 Sousuke watched Rin devour his food before he got out of bed as well, pulling on his boxers and rubbing his face. “Don’t eat more than two.”  
   
 “Fuck you,” Rin muttered as he got halfway to his second one.  
   
 “It’s bad for your health.”  
   
 “No it’s not.” Rin swallowed. “Rice can’t hurt me.”  
   
 Sousuke rubbed his neck and laughed. “For someone who’s the best at incantations and rituals, you’re not catching on.”  
   
 Rin paused. It was only then he saw something hanging from the ceiling, an amulet. A mix of herbs rolled together in a ball, tied with jasmine cords.  
   
 “It’s funny, because you taught me this one RinRin.”  
   
 “No, I didn’t.” Rin stared at the herbs, knowing exactly what they were going to do. “We were…” He looked at the onigiri, knowing the ritual needed starch in the target’s body. “In the same class together.”  
   
 Sousuke rubbed his shoulder, smiling.  
   
 Rin tried to back away, but his limbs were numb and he dropped the rice ball. The numbness spread to his hand and his feet, and all the way to his brain.  
   
 Sousuke put his hand against the back of Rin’s head. With a small smile, he performed the grip—he pulled Rin’s soul out of his body.  
   
 Rin saw the back of his head and gasped.  
   
 Sousuke slammed the spirit back in, smashing Rin’s head against the fridge door, leaving a red mark on the white surface.  
   
 Rin crashed against floor, cringing as he felt something pour from his head. “S-Sousuke?”  
   
 “I already told you.” He squatted down to look at Rin.  
   
 “What?” Rin stared at him and froze.  
   
 That’s when he saw it.  
   
 Sousuke’s eyes turned pink. “Captain-chan’s not here right now.”


	16. Chrysalis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of Fire and Mind broke 2,000 hits, woo! Thank you, everyone, for all the support and kudos and bookmarks and comments and just everything. Here's Chapter 16, enjoy!

 Haruka sat in his office; it was called The Great Hall, which was annoying but also accurate. After a set of double doors that were fit for royalty, a long hallway extended to his circular office. With a ceiling over forty meters high, endless books, scrolls, and reagents lined the walls. It was dumb, Haruka thought on his first day and kept that sentiment even now, because almost everything was digitalised. But they were there, on display. Anything to make the High Council more imposing. Haruka stared at the four monitors on his desk, glancing to the bottom right corner of one. He checked the time then opened his phone, noting the identical reading of time there.  
    
 There were knocks at the door.  
    
 Two knocks, pause; three knocks, pause; one knock.  
    
 Two minutes late, but whatever. Haruka waved his hand. His monitors pulled back and slid vertically down into his desk; across the room, one of the doors opened halfway.  
    
 Makoto popped his head in and smiled. “You called for me, Haru?” He stepped in and took another step forward as he looked around. He yelped and and jumped when the door closed behind him.  
    
 Haruka hid his smile.  
    
 Although his ‘life partner’ (or whatever, they never agreed on a term), Makoto had only been in Haruka’s office twice before. He glanced to the higher shelves, noticing more things, as he walked down the hall, eventually coming to the large open circle. “What’s up, kittycup?”  
    
 “Come here.” Haruka motioned to his phone as he navigated to his inbox.  
    
 Makoto walked around the desk and glanced over Haruka’s shoulder. “What is it?”  
    
 “Just watch.” He hit play.  
    
 A video started.  
    
 “That’s Rin,” Makoto pointed out.  
    
 Haru nodded.  
    
  _“Um… hey, Haru… I’m sorry… I’m sorry I didn’t trust you before, but I guess I kind of… Okay, I don’t know, nothing really justifies it. But you were right. Spot on, that we were going to the forbidden libraries in Japan. We don’t need the Book of Chains anymore, we found the uh… Ai, what was it called?”  
   
 “Ceremonies of Izanami.”  
   
 “Yeah, that. It’s basically like the Book of the Dead, but you probably already know that… We summoned a spirit, and it ended up being… Nagisa’s grandmother. She actually, used to live here! At the shrine! But, uh… I bet you probably already know that too. I mean, the fact that Nagi’s gran’ lived here, not that we summoned her. But you’ll find that out later. We found some ways to hide what we did, but now I’m being transparent.”_  
    
 Makoto frowned. “Why would they…?”  
    
  _“Haru, the person behind this… we think they’re manipulating Nagisa’s spirit. It either didn’t cross over properly, or someone brought it back. There’s been Chrysalis seeds too, planted. Um… I, I don’t know how to say this, Haru, but Nagisa’s Nan showed us some of his most precious memories. Nagisa… he really did tell you to join the Lower Council. Shit. I bet he would be so proud of you, too, with your recent promotion. I know I trash-talk The Eye a lot, especially the councils, but it’s been a better place since you got there. I mean that. I mean, even a year ago, we weren’t even allowed to say bad things about the High Council, and now we can call them shitheads all we want.”_  
    
 In the video, Nitori nudged his arm.  
    
  _“I’m not saying you’re a shithead! I just mean… the dictator-like rule of The Eye is fading away, and Nagisa’s dream that maybe one day, everyone can speak their mind… maybe that’s coming closer, and it’s thanks to you. Nagisa would be, so proud. I accused you of lying, and I broke our friendship because I just… I’m sorry. I know things have always been shaky between us, but you’re still my friend, and you’re still important to me, and… like Nagi used to say: We’re family.”_  
    
 Makoto swallowed hard, eyes wide.  
    
 Haruka glanced up out of the corner of his eye, watching Makoto’s tears form.  
    
  _“Haru… I don’t want to break up Nagisa’s family. Not when, all his life, he’s only had so little. I’m sorry I couldn’t trust you before, but I’m telling you everything now. Anyway, I’ll see you when I get back… Bye.”_  
    
 The video ended and Haruka closed his phone. He placed it on his desk, swallowing once.  
    
 Makoto stared at it.  
    
 A silence passed between them; and, although silence was common for them, this one felt different. It had the texture of…  
    
 Makoto bit his lip, moving away and turning around. He crossed his arms.  
    
 Despite being together for over a year, Haruka knew Makoto didn’t want to see him cry. So he faced forward.  
    
 “What…?” Makoto grabbed his head. “What should we do?”  
    
 Haruka stared down. “I don’t know.”  
    
 “You…” Makoto turned around and walked over to face Haru. “You promised Kou we would look after Rin!”  
    
 “I know.” Haruka squished his eyes close then opened them. “But what can we do? What _should_ we do, Makoto? What’s the right answer. Help him? Help him and prove that I don’t trust him—or stay here, and let him deal with it himself?”  
    
 Makoto froze. “What?”  
    
 “What does _he_ want us to do?” Haruka looked at his lap. “He said… he’ll see me when he gets back. Right? Does that mean he wants me to stay here? Does that mean he has everything under control?” Putting both hands on his desk, he squeezed them into fists. “Makoto!”  
    
 “H-Haru…”  
    
 “What am I supposed to do!?” He stood up. “What…? What’s the right answer?”  
    
 Makoto’s eyes widened. “I don’t know…”  
    
 Haruka dropped into his chair. “I’ve never felt… so… useless… What do I do?”  
   
 “I don’t know!” Makoto put his hands together and looked at the floor. “I guess we should… leave him be.”  
    
 “Yeah… I guess.”  
   
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Aiichiro sat on his knees, hands in his lap, back hunched over, eyes focused on the low table in front of him, but nothing in particular about it. He was in the living room. His heart was heavy, but his mind was heavier. Thoughts of Rin and The Eye soured in his brain, nervousness being stifled and that only warped it into anger. He was lost. He felt betrayed, he felt sad, he felt like crying, but more than anything he wanted to slam his fist into Rin’s face. The thought of it, though, made his stomach squeeze. He knew if he’d punch that face, all he would want is to place a kiss over the bruise he’d leave behind.  
    
 There was a clank that caught his attention.  
    
 Rei walked into the room holding a tray. He put it down. “I made you some tea. Gyokuro, your favouri—”  
    
 “Shut up!” he snapped. “Get that the hell away from me!”  
    
 Rei stopped, staring.  
    
 “I-I’m sorry.” He bowed in his seat. “I’m sorry…”  
    
 “Aiichiro…”  
    
 His phone beeped. Nitori patted his pants to find where it was before he pulled his phone out. “I’m sorry. Thank you for the tea. I just… r-really need to be alone right now.”  
    
 Rei nodded. “I understand.” He left the tray on the table and left the room.  
    
 Nitori saw there was a text, except it was received thirty-nine minutes ago. Why did it beep now? He didn’t care, but the text was from Rin. He almost vomited in his mouth, but he opened it anyway.  
    
  _[Rin: I’m going to see Sousuke… I wont let him turn u in ok? I’ll keep you safe. I promised. But I have some suspiscions so if I don’t message you back heres his address.]_  
    
 Attached to the text was a file. It was a screenshot of a text Sousuke sent Rin.  
    
 Nitori squeezed his phone. “Rin… you care.”  
    
 “Ai-chan. Of course he does!”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened as something tackled his back. Arms slid around his neck and he almost screamed, but he realised it was a hug. A head popped next to him and rested on his shoulder. Nitori turned, eyes wide.  
    
 Nagisa smiled.  
    
 Nitori’s jaw twitched.  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes were white fire, his skin was paler, and a black line ran from his forehead to his chin, over one eye.  
    
 “N-N-Nagisa?”  
    
 Nagisa giggled and a tentacle shot out of his back, it twirled around them and moved over Nitori’s mouth. “Yep!”  
    
 Nitori gagged; the taste of ash and death flooded his mouth, silencing him.  
    
 “I have Rin.”  
    
 Nitori’s hands turned to fists.  
    
 “Ah, I thought that would get your attention, Ai-chan. I’ll put this in simple words for you.” Nagisa closed his eyes. “Luckily, you’re a psion, so I can _show_ you.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened, but his vision cut out. Darkness. A single point of light. The light spiraled out into several lines, a grid. Nitori realised he was looking at a map of the city, Nazuoka. There was the shrine, and the forest behind it. Deep in the forest, there was a graveyard. That point lit up pink, before the map ‘zoomed in’ and he saw the graveyard from a bird’s eye view.  
    
 Rin was lying in the centre of a red circle, shirt torn, chest exposed, blood pouring from several wounds. Standing next to him, looking him over, was Sousuke.  
    
 “Don’t worry,” Nagisa’s voice brought him back. “Captain-chan wasn’t the killer.”  
    
 Nitori blinked and looked at him.  
    
 “I can tell you’ve seen it, actually… my memories. Not RinRin’s, but mine. My grandmother – even if we’re not related by blood – showed them to you. Sou-chan enchanted his blade with a rune that had the same effect as Apoptosis. It was great, in theory, but Ai-chan. Why don’t you think it worked?” He giggled. “Because I fought alongside Captain-chan… I knew his every move before we fought! Just like how I know Rin’s, and yours.”  
    
 Nitori gasped, accidentally taking the ash into his lungs, and then coughed.  
    
 Nagisa patted his back with a smile. “I slipped into Sousuke’s sword, at first. It’s a weapon that originally held and reflected magical attacks, so I slipped inside and faked my own Apoptosis. I faded before Haru-chan got there—he would have seen right through it. Rin doesn’t have an eye for those things, and Mako-chan would have been too emotional, but Haru… I had to get out of there before Haru saw me. So I slipped in. Little did I know, though, that the passage between Sousuke’s sword and soul was so open! So what did I do, Ai-chan? Take a guess.”  
    
 Nitori tried to talk, but only again took the ash into his throat.  
    
 Nagisa laughed. “Sorry, that was mean, wasn’t it? I’ll tell you. Slowly, my corrupted psyche began merging with Sousuke… Ai-chan, the door to my deepest unconscious has been opened, and there’s nothing of the real me left…” His smile faded. “There’s only Chrysalis and the Sorrow-Gale. My mind is gone. And soon, there won’t be much left of Sousuke’s mind either. I’m sorry.”  
    
 Nitori’s expression softened.  
    
 “But, there’s nothing I can do about that, Aiichiro.” Nagisa looked away. “But, isn’t it funny? You’re going to come to me, and come alone. It will be you versus me. Nana says only a psion can truly fight a Chrysalis, but isn’t that really funny? Can anyone really fight that thing?”  
    
 Nitori pulled away, trying to shake Nagisa off.  
    
 More tentacles shot out of his back and wrapped around Nitori.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Nitori freed his mouth. “Don’t you feel anything?”  
    
 “Ai-chan, you don’t get it.”  
    
 “Rin!” Nitori’s eyes watered. “He was your big brother, and Sousuke! All of your teammates!”  
    
 Nagisa shook his head. “I’m not human anymore. My soul is too damaged to understand emotions or even just guilt. From this curse, I won’t recover. But this way… I forgot what despair feels like, but when I feed on it…” His eyes lit up. “I feel so alive.”  
    
 “But, Nagisa! At what cost?”  
    
 “I know what you mean,” he admitted. “I don’t want to feel alive, Ai. I don’t. I want to die.” Nagisa smiled. “But this is what I am now, a Chrysalis. I feed on all emotions, even my own. I can’t feel anything anymore because I keep eating them. I’m hollow, so that makes me this. I am a harbinger of sorrow, a demon of despair. A horrorfiend. I can’t be saved, so Ai-chan, please—please don’t hold back.” He let go and drifted away, levitating for a moment before he put his foot on the ground. “When we fight… please, kill me.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes watered but he forced them closed. He took a deep breath.  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened.  
    
 Nitori screamed loud enough that his throat burned.  
    
 Nagisa raised a hand and a dendrite, an electric tentacle, shot out, wrapping around Nitori’s neck, silencing him.  
    
 “Ai?” Momotarou burst into the room. His eyes moved to Nagisa and he gasped.  
    
 Nagisa moved his hand to Momotarou. “Sorry.” A circle of black fire forged in his palm before he shot a blast forward.  
    
 On impact, blood burst from Momotarou and he was thrown back. He rolled on the floor, before laying still… unmoving.  
    
 “Aiichiro Nitori!” Nagisa raised his voice. “Come alone. And: Come now.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 The sky was beautiful in sunset, Rin realised. He was forced down, blood pouring from every wound. He had been beaten again and again, anything to break his spirit. The magic ‘circle’ he was in, was actually a hexagon. He didn’t recognise the spell, and had the brief thought of trying to break it, but his power was waning, and so was his will to go on.  
    
 Through a flash of black fire, Nagisa appeared. He wore a robe that was black at his chest and gradually became white as it went to his sleeves and legs. All three of his eyes were open, each one burned with white flame.  
    
 Rin forced himself to sit up, but the spell brought him down again.  
    
 Nagisa’s body lifted up and he hovered above the ground. “RinRin… you have so many emotions conflicting inside you. Haruka, your lover who chose another man. Sousuke, the best friend who left you behind. Makoto, the person who has your love but is still important to you. Gou, your own little Rapunzel trapped in a tower.” He put his hands together. “Just what are you supposed to feel? Let’s not forget, you never had anyone else, as you were an outcast… except me, of course. And you had to watch me die. And the only way out is to kill me again.”  
    
 Rin closed his eyes. “Nagisa… please.”  
    
 “Rinny-Rin! You just can’t take it! Years of suffering, years of pain locked inside you, suppressed and repressed for so long…” Nagisa’s hands squeezed into fists. “And it’s almost mine. With your despair, my Chrysalis will become unstoppable.” Nagisa grinned. “I originally wanted to use Ai or Rei at first, since their pain seemed intense… but it wasn’t enough. I plagued them in a city full of murders, forced them to watch their hometown become a scrambled mess, but the sorrow just wasn’t enough! I built an invisible suppression aura, so The Eye would think the problem wasn’t as bad as it seemed, so no one would come to help them, so they would feel alone… Although, they did end up noticing it—again, Haru-chan’s fault.”  
    
 “Haru?” Rin frowned. “What?”  
    
 “He didn’t do it on purpose, but four months ago he visited the shrine for a book—Ceremonies of Iza-chan.” Nagisa crossed his arms. “When he was in the city, I had to downplay the suppression aura, lest he find out. When I cranked it back up, Rei noticed the difference. But, still, that only fed their despair further. But, even after all that, it wasn’t enough… their pools of suffering weren’t enough to give me invincibility. But, you.”  
    
 Rin forced himself to sit up, despite the spell pulling him down. “Me?”  
    
 “Your despair… it overshadows my entire year of work!” Nagisa smiled. “Not to say my work was lost, once I have you, Ai-chan will succumb, and soon will Rei-chan, and that will leave Momo-chan all alone… I’m wondering, should I devour him right away, or maybe use him as lure to bring his big brother out of hiding? But it doesn’t matter, I’ll devour everyone eventually… all I need, is your anguish.”  
    
 “But… you’re not taking my spirit essence.” Rin frowned. “Why aren’t you feeding on me now?”  
    
 “You’re just not sad enough, RinRin.” Nagisa sighed. “There’s been one thorn up my _ass_ when it comes to you. I really thought my move with Captain-chan calling him a whore would have broken it, but hm.”  
    
 Rin stared at Sousuke who was standing still, almost lifeless. “Wait a sec.” He turned to Nagisa. “You mean, Ai?”  
    
 “Every time you got depressed, he made you smile. Every time you became overwhelmed, he reassured you. Every time I tried to bathe you in fear, he calmed you down.” Nagisa snapped his finger.  
    
 Rin’s hands shot up and soon he was pulled off the ground. Held up in a ‘Y’ shape, Rin tried to fight back, but a jolt of thunder burned his wrists. He winced, gritting his teeth.   
    
 “Ai-chan.” Nagisa cocked his head to the side. “He became a symbol of hope in your life. A way for you to release negative emotions, without feeding me. To be honest, he would have made a perfect boyfriend for you, RinRin… if I remembered how, I would be so happy for you. Or, maybe, I would be happier for me. Wanna know why?”  
    
 Rin stared at Nagisa and watched him look over his shoulder to the forest. “No!”  
    
 Nitori ran towards them, panting. He put his hands on his knees. “Rin!”  
    
 “Ai!” Rin screamed, “Get out of here!”  
    
 Nagisa grinned. “The flood that will be unleashed when you watch me tear off his limbs… I will become a Chrysalis that cannot be destroyed…”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Please, Ai! Run!”  
    
 Nagisa licked his lips. “I can taste it…”  
    
 “Nagisa! Stop…” Rin felt a tear roll down his face. “Please!”  
    
 “Rin!” Nitori took his stance. “He’s not Nagisa anymore.”  
    
 “Run, damnit!”  
    
 “No!”  
    
 “Ai!”  
    
 “I won’t!” Nitori’s hands turned to fist. “I’m not weak. I won’t lose!”  
    
 Nagisa turned around. “Oh?”  
    
 Sousuke pulled out his blade and it was coated with black fire. “Rin.” He closed his eyes. “I’m… sorry… I’m so sorry.”  
    
 Rin stared, tears welling in his eyes…  
    
 Nitori shook his head. “Two on one, huh?”  
    
 Nagisa and Sousuke looked at each other and Nagisa laughed. They phased reality and soon split into five identical images each.  
    
 “Our real bodies,” one of the Nagisas said, “Have long perished.”  
    
 A Sousuke dashed forward, grinding his blade across the earth before he jumped into the air, slamming his blade down.  
    
 Nitori barely dodged it, shocked by the pure force in one swing. He saw several Nagisas and Sousukes around him and Nitori twirled, creating a purple ring before throwing his arms to the side, blasting his energy outwards in a circle.  
    
 When the psionic blast hit the false images, they broke and disappeared.  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened. “What?”  
    
 Nitori ran forward firing a blast straight at Rin.  
    
 Rin closed his eyes when the wave hit him; although he was unharmed, the magic holding him mid-air broke and he dropped to the floor.  
    
 Sousuke went in for a strike.  
    
 Rin jumped back, dodging it.  
    
 “Rin!” Nitori eliminated another Sousuke, turning around. “As long as I have you…”  
    
 “Right.” Rin put his back against Nitori’s. “Ai.”  
    
 “I know.”  
    
 Nagisa appeared out of a flash of fire, hovering several feet above them. He opened a hand and a sphere of white and black formed above him. “Hm.” His voice began to shake, before several mirror images of Sousuke and Nagisa merged into him. He gasped as he took a breath; his voice echoed, lower pitches, higher pitches, voices that were his and voices that were Sousuke’s. “Rin, Ai,” his words sounded like they were being spoken by a whole group of people—he had the voice of a legion—“You comforting one another demands an offering of horror.”  
    
 “He’s!” Nitori gasped.  
    
 Rin grabbed Nitori’s wrist. “Turning into a Chrysalis!”  
    
 Nagisa’s chest cracked open, organs on display. The sphere above funnelled into his body and the earth and wind began to beat in twos, like a heart. Condensing into an egg, Nagisa burst open—black liquid shot out, taller than a skyscraper and limbs extended from the line. It took the form of a reptile on two legs, a raptor, before Chrysalis eggs formed all over its skin.  
    
 Rin pulled Nitori away, irises shaking with terror.  
    
 Each egg burst and an outer layer formed around the reptile—this one had four arms, but no legs. It had a head, that looked like Nagisa himself, and tentacle ‘hair’ to match. It’s two dull pink eyes opened, and then the forehead slit opened, revealing the third. It roared and more eggs formed on its skin.  
    
 “You’re fucking kidding me,” Rin muttered as he kept running.  
    
 From a funnel of black fluid, a snake-like beast wrapped itself around the Chrysalis’ forehead.  
    
 Nagisa and Sousuke stood atop the monster’s head. Although the third eye didn’t exist in reality, Nagisa’s third eye opened, completely aflame, burning far more than his other eyes to the point it resembled a crown of white fire.  
    
 False images of the two rained down.  
    
 “Ai.” Rin swallowed hard. “I saw you fight the mirror images… you can kill them. We can’t. We can only make them disappear, and then they come back somewhere else.”  
    
 “I see.” He looked at his hand. “Then it’s true what she said: Only a psion can really fight these things…”  
    
 “Yeah, but I’m not letting you fight alone.” Rin thrust his hand to the side, and a serpent dragon of fire came to life. “I’ll protect you, Ai.”  
    
 “But…” Nitori watched the false images drop to the ground and charge at them. “Can we really be enough?”  
    
 “We have to be.”  
    
 Nitori nodded before he ran forward.  
    
 A Nagisa shot out a tentacle.  
    
 Nitori blocked it with a shield.  
    
 A Sousuke went in for a strike.  
    
 Rin blasted fire at him.  
    
 That Sousuke gathered the fire in his sword, before unleashing it at Nitori.  
    
 Nitori turned to guard against the blast, but a tentacle pierced him from the back, ripping straight through his stomach. His eyes widened. The tentacle pulled out and the wave of fire hit him head-on.  
    
 “Ai!” Rin screamed.  
    
 Another Sousuke moved behind Rin and slashed a horizontal line straight through his back.  
    
 Rin was thrown forward, red liquid shooting out of his wound.  
    
 Another Nagisa leapt forward, hands turning into claws, he slashed three bloody lines across Rin’s neck.  
    
 Rin dropped to the ground, coughing violently.  
    
 Nitori’s eyes watered. He let out another blast wave—he knew he was burning through his spirit essence with the wide attacks, but it managed to take out the false images.  
    
 Atop the Chrysalis, the ‘real’ Nagisa moved his hand to the side.  
    
 The snake-like thing that had wrapped around the Chrysalis’ forehead uncoiled and lifted it’s ‘head’, which in truth was a fourth dull pink eye. It glided through the air, moving to Rin and Nitori.  
    
 “Rin!” Nitori saw the eye coming closer. “I don’t know what that thing is, but!”  
    
 The eye began to glow, getting brighter and brighter.  
    
 Rin swallowed hard. He put a hand to his throat. “Is it, charging up?”  
    
 Nitori realised they were going to–  
    
 The eye fired a laser, red and pink, electric and and rippling, firing for a full minute.  
    
 Nitori lifted his hand and forced a barrier to appear. When the beam slammed against his barrier, Nitori cried out, cringing. He felt his barrier crack, breaking, and he tried to rebuild it.  
    
 The beam shattered the barrier and blasted them.  
    
 Rin felt his skin burn, his vision waver… memories of the past flooded into his mind’s eye, but he forced himself to focus. The shield had taken the brunt of the blast, but they were reduced to shaking limbs and torn clothes. Rin saw the eye charge up again and he turned to Nitori. “Ai!”  
    
 “We’re…” Nitori was lying on the ground, bleeding out. “Going to….”  
    
 “I know.” Rin smiled. “I love you.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened and he smiled, cheeks would have blushed if he had blood in left. “Love you… too.”  
    
 Rin turned to the eye, noticing it was almost at full power. “See you, on the other side, then?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 “I’m sorry.”  
    
 “N-No.” Nitori shook his head. “No need…”  
    
 “I’m forgiven?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 The eye fired another beam—pink and red slicing through the air.  
    
 Nitori closed his eyes, but Rin watched it come head on. At the last moment, the light became too much, and he snapped his eyes closed. There was a crunching sound before Ai screamed. No. Not scream, not a scream of pain, Ai yelped out of surprise. Rin opened his eyes to a hand grabbing his arm. “What?”  
    
 “Rin!” Rei yelled, yanking him up. “Move!”  
    
 “Momo?” Nitori gasped as he was carried bridal style. “How?”  
    
 “Now’s not the time!” Momotarou yelled as he ran to the side.  
    
 Rin let himself be dragged by Rei, turning back to see the beam fighting against… a barrier? “Who?” But using a barrier against a Chrysalis was toxic… The barrier was… pink? No, a red pink… “Gou?” No. Not Gou. The person channelling the barrier was… Rin’s eyes widened. “What?”  
    
 “Haru!” Makoto jumped to the side, letting his barrier break. “Now!”  
    
 A rip of gunfire roared through the air as explosions of green, blue, and red slammed against the eye.  
    
 The snake-like creature screamed, flailing and whining as it burnt up, evaporating.  
    
 Haruka dropped from the sky, cape fluttering in the wind. He clicked a button and let his empty clips fall to the ground. With a jerk of his wrists, new clips were shot into the ends of his handguns. He stared up at Sousuke and Nagisa.  
    
 “Close one!” Makoto ran up to him.  
    
 Haruka cocked his head. “Safe?”  
    
 “Yeah. All of them.”  
    
 “You.” Haruka turned around and glanced towards them. “You’re a support, right?”  
    
 Momotarou nodded. “Yeah!”  
    
 “Good. Heal them.” He glanced at Nitori for a long moment before moving back to Momotarou. “Makoto. Ryugazaki. Protect him until they’re healed. We lose our support, we’re fucked.”  
    
 “Understood!” Rei pulled out his weapon.   
   
 Nitori stared dumbly at the him. “What?”  
    
 Rin blinked. “H-Haru?”  
    
 Momotarou put Nitori down and got to work, hands glowing orange.   
   
 “Don’t worry,” Makoto assured. “We’re here.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes watered and he wiped his tears on his broken sleeve. “You guys…”   
   
 Haruka turned his back to them and checked his guns. He stepped forward. “I’ll distract it, alone, until you guys are healed. But… I can’t hold this thing back forever.”


	17. Izanami

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo. I apologise for not updating on time, I had to take grandmother to the airport last night then just didn't have the energy, but luckily she's out of my hair. XD
> 
> Next chapter will be in two days, but for now here is this one! It is quite long... About the length of 2-3 chapters, as it was necessary. So get yourself a glass of water or a mug of tea and enjoy.
> 
> * * *

 Haruka whirled through the air, gliding, riding the wind as if he had wings. He controlled his trajectory, aiming to eventually land on the Chrysalis’ upper left shoulder. He watched for tentacles. A clump of seven shot out at him and he aimed his handgun. A single bullet took care of them. He aimed for the Chrysalis’ face next, trying to blind the eyes.  
    
 As his bullets soared through the sky, they were blocked by a wave of monochrome fire.  
    
 Haruka glanced at Nagisa standing on the monster’s head and he cursed. Haruka did an aerial flip, landing on the Chrysalis and firing again at its head.  
    
 False images of Nagisa and Sousuke dropped down next to him.  
    
 Haruka kicked off the ground and forged globes of water from the molecules in the air. He waved his hand, sending them off at the false images. Although he couldn’t destroy them, Haruka knew the Chrysalis could only have a set amount out at a time. Also, there was usually a window of time between a false image being broken and reappearing, and that was all the time he had to spare. He fired three more shots at the main body, managing nothing. He leapt off the beast’s arm and concentrated his spirit essence. The gears of his guns began to spin, gathering everything into one bullet. He pulled the trigger.  
    
 The blue blast ripped off one of the thick tentacles that made up the Chrysalis’ hair.  
    
 Haruka turned around and glided through the air. He adjusted his body and began flying to one of the legs. He caught sight of that boy—the one he never caught the name of, silver hair, bowl cut—running towards him and Haru ejected his clips. He shoved his guns in their holders before snatching the clips. He tossed them at the boy. “You have to—” he cut himself off, eyes narrowing.  
    
 Nitori grabbed the clips, charging them with his purple magic.  
    
 Haruka watched tentacles forming behind the silver haired male. He landed next to Nitori and waved a wall of hard water to shatter them. He hooked an arm around Nitori’s waist and jumped off the kneecap.  
    
 Nitori pulled Haruka’s gun from his holsters.  
    
 “What are you—?”  
    
 Nitori shoved the clip in the handgun and held it with both hands as he fired. He was aiming for the face, but the purple bullet ended hitting the Chrysalis’ upper left shoulder.  
    
 The shoulder shattered and the arm evaporated.  
    
 Haruka landed on another leg and pulled the gun from Nitori. “You.”  
    
 Nitori handed the other clip.  
    
 Haruka pulled out his second gun and slammed the clip in. “Psion.”  
    
 “Rin showed me his memories, so I know how your guns work, Nanase-sama.” He bowed. “I’m sorry for using them without your permission!”  
    
 “It’s, fine.” Haruka blinked. “Watch your back.”  
    
 Nitori watched a massive fist aim down towards them. He turned and ran away, arms flailing.  
    
 Haruka, however, waited until the last moment and jumped. He landed on the knuckle and ran along the arm, regaining the high ground. With the psionic bullets, each shot destroyed a large portion of the monster. He aimed for the head and fired.  
    
 The purple bullet broke away several tentacles around its forehead.  
    
 Up top, Nagisa growled. He raised his hands, summoning more.  
    
 Rising from behind the Chrysalis’ body was a bladed tail. It charged for Haruka.  
    
 A beam of light shout out, piercing through it, skewering it, holding it in place.  
    
 “Makoto,” Haruka whispered to himself. “Thanks.” He fired a shot, eradicating the tail and beam of light.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Down below, Makoto watched Haruka rise up. His hand was glowing red from the spell, and he shook it to cool it down. “What happened? Why is he suddenly doing so much damage?”  
    
 Momotarou dodged a tentacle, biting his lip. As a sensory, he knew…  
   
 “I’m not complaining!” Rin yelled as he dodged Sousuke’s blade. “But I’d like to know his secret!”  
    
 Nitori joined them and swallowed hard. “It’s because he’s using the spirit essence of a psion.”  
    
 Makoto gasped. “A psion? Where?”  
    
 “Me.”  
    
 Rei sliced through Sousuke’s image and looked over his shoulder. “Ai!”  
    
 Nitori shook his head. “I can’t run from this.”  
    
 “Oh.” Nagisa dropped down between them. “You can run—but I’ll catch ya!” He heaved a blast of fire at Nitori.  
    
 But a spear of wind sliced through it.  
    
 Nagisa growled and turned his head to the caster but…  
    
 Rei held his blade up.  
    
 Nagisa’s hand twitched. “Rei…”  
    
 Nitori fired force darts—little blasts of energy.  
    
 Nagisa gasped but the false image shattered, breaking away forever.  
    
 Makoto’s eyes examined him. “You’re… in control?”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “Yes.”  
    
 Rin tensed. “He means that, Makoto!”  
    
 Makoto saw another Sousuke charge at him and he blocked a strike with his blade. “Then it’s good to have you, Nitori.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Back up top, Haruka’s eyebrows knitted together. Every time he destroyed the Chrysalis’ hair, Nagisa kept regrowing them. He tried to take out the Nagisa fixed on the beast’s head, but his magic was too strong. He needed something more powerful… He had a last resort ready, but… He pulled the trigger and heard a click. Out of ammo. Seeing a tentacle shoot towards him, he threw himself back, making a ‘T’ with his body, and flipping over and over again as he descended to the ground.  
    
 A caw.  
    
 Haruka opened his eyes, seeing the flaming bird come for him.  
    
 “Fucker!” Rin shouted as he caught Haruka on his phoenix. “Stop doing that!”  
    
 “You’ll catch me,” Haruka pointed out. “Your friend. Psion.”  
    
 Rin tensed. “Yeah, got a problem?”  
    
 “Not in particular.”  
    
 Rin tensed. He didn’t have a reason to mistrust Haru, not anymore, but ‘Not in particular’ didn’t sound like something Haru would say. Usually it would be a ‘No’ or ‘Not really’ but…  
    
 “Rin!” Haruka yelled.  
    
 Rin saw a tentacle and he heaved the bird to the side, narrowly dodging it. “Sorry!”  
    
 “It’s okay,” Haruka admitted in his monotone voice. “Take me down. I need more of his magic.”  
    
 “Yeah! I wanted to tell you: Psions can fight Chrysalises in a way we can’t. That’s what Nagisa’s granny told us!”  
    
 “I know.”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “What?”  
    
 “I’m working on a thesis.” Haruka turned to him. “His bullet confirms it for me.”  
    
 “A thesis?” Rin frowned. “About psions?”  
    
 “A Chrysalis is something that feeds on emotions. Emotions are chemical activities in the body, mainly the brain. What Chrysalis’ feed on most are depression, mania, anxiety—all of which are visible in brain scans.”  
    
 “Okay, so?” Rin frowned. “What does that have to do with psions?”  
    
 “What’s the counterpart to the brain?” Haruka’s hair fluttered in the wind. “The mind.”  
    
 “The m—psions?”  
    
  “Any change in the brain is visible in behaviour and mind—whatever that really is… No one know what consciousness is, Rin… but psions can control it. When we fight angels or demons, a shade is best; light will strike down a demon and darkness will destroy an angel. When the elements of the world form creatures of fire.” He tapped Rin’s phoenix. “A water elementalist will make easy work of it. Get it?”  
    
 “So a Chrysalis in in the psions domain, right?” Rin’s eyes widened. “We can all fight a Chrysalis, but it’s Nitori who will be dealing the most damage!”  
    
 “Exactly.”  
    
 “Wait, but, earlier.” Rin dodged another tentacle. “I felt… my sis’.”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “Kou gave us some of her spirit essence. It was a gamble, but Makoto created a barrier with it. Psions are their weakness. Which is why I need his spirit essence, Rin.” He grabbed a clump of fire from the phoenix. “Yours too.”  
    
 “Huh? Haru?”  
    
 “I’m trying something.”  
    
 The phoenix approached the rest of them and Haruka jumped off, soaring down to the ground. “Nitori!”  
    
 Nitori blasted a missile of purple energy.  
    
 Haru, still holding the fire, mixed it with Nitori’s energy and infused it into his guns. He aimed at the top and fired.  
    
 The blast of psychic fire arched in a perfect line.  
    
 The Nagisa standing atop the Chrysalis opened his hands, creating a shield of white and black fire. When the bullet slammed in, Nagisa gasped, having to put a foot back to hold his place while the blast threatened to throw him back. With a snap of his finger, it all disappeared. “Captain.”  
    
 Born from corrupt fires, Sousuke stood next to him. “Yes?”  
    
 “Haru-chan’s getting reckless. You’ll be better suited for this.” He grinned. “I’ll go down low, make us a little stronger.”  
    
 Sousuke nodded. “Leave it to me.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Haruka noticed Nagisa and Sousuke switching places and smiled. All according to plan. “Rin. Nitori. Your magics work well. Are you…” He looked over his shoulder. “Together?”  
    
 Rin gawked. “Is now the time for that!?”  
    
 “Rin. I need to know how much this psion means to you.”  
    
 “I’m…” Rin shook his head. “Everything.”  
    
 Nitori closed his eyes, guilt seeping in.  
    
 Rei aimed his blade at Haruka. “Is this for The Eye, Nanase?”  
    
 Haruka shook his head. “I only want to know why Rin hid this from me. Steel yourself, Ryugazaki. Chrysalises feed on emotion.”  
    
 “That’s right, Rei-chan!”  
    
 Rei turned around.  
    
 The images of Nagisa came together. With one twirl, a black line formed a circle around only himself and Rei. “Haru-chan and Mako-chan, I never expected you two to join.” Nagisa scowled. “But that’s alright. Rei-chan, when I devour your every despair, you’ll give me enough power to destroy the rest of them!” He heaved his hand and black liquid shot up from the circle.  
    
 “Rei!” Nitori screamed. He shot out a psionic missile, but it didn’t work.  
    
 Momotarou gasped.  
    
 “Ryugazaki!” Makoto screamed.  
    
 Rin’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t let him win!”  
    
 Haruka looked away.  
    
 Rei watched as the world was cut away from them. The black liquid created a dome and darkness spiraled around them. Everything descended into glooms before the floor lit up, bright purple and blue, forming shadows on the top of their bodies. He squeezed his rapier and twisted his wrist, whirling his blade as he took his stance.  
    
 Nagisa hovered above the ground. “In this place, there is only me and the one I am feeding on.”  
    
 “Tell me.” Rei shook his head. “Is pity a tasty emotion?” His eyes hardened. “Because that is all I feel for you, now.”  
    
 Nagisa growled.  
    
 “I’ll put you to rest, Nagisa!”  
    
 “Or… you could join me, in terror.” Nagisa smiled and put both his hands to his chest. Black fires began to gather before he arched his back, throwing his hands to the side—piercing out of his chest was the handle of a blade. Nagisa grabbed it and pulled it out, screaming as he did. The blade was hot white fire, and the handle was swirling black flame.   
    
 “Nagisa…” Rei whispered.  
    
 “Yes. Yes! Despair… despair and feed me!” Nagisa took a similar stance and ran forward, swinging horizontally.  
    
 “I’m sorry.” Rei held his blade vertical, guarding the strike. The force threw him back, but he caught his footing and countered. “I kept wishing I could have been there for you… I kept thinking, that if I had done something!” He pushed Nagisa back and swung diagonally. “You would have despaired less!”  
    
 Nagisa back flipped to dodge. He grinned, readying his next strike, but froze. “I’m not… feeding?”  
    
 “Even so, with all those wishes and wants of my past.” Rei shook his head. “I don’t… regret a thing.”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened. “You _want_ me to suffer!?”  
    
 “No! Nagisa. That’s not it at all.”  
    
 “No.” Nagisa shook his head. “I have to feed on you! Despair, damnit!” He threw himself forward, swinging once, twice, three times—four.  
    
 Rei swung back, parrying against every strike; metal rang against metal, clash against clash. “Nagisa!”  
    
 “Despair! Why won’t you despair!?”  
    
 “Because!” Rei locked their blades and pushed him back. “If this is the way things have to be, then it’s…” What would Ai say? “Really…” What would Rin say? “Shitty!—but I will not, ever, allow myself to regret the past! Not anymore.” Rei charged forward swinging several times.  
    
 Nagisa blocked and parried, striking back.  
    
 Rei jumped to the side and countered. “I will never regret you!”  
    
 Nagisa slammed his blade against Rei’s, holding it. “What… a dumb way of thinking.” His eyes narrowed. “Regret is a part of life, it’s essential!”  
    
 “No! More than regret, moving on is essential! Moving forward!” Rei struggled with his sword against Nagisa’s. “As foolhardy as it sounds, as simple or as ‘textbook’ as it sounds, understanding your mistakes and learning from them, so that even in the face of despair, you might build a positive future! That! Is what’s important! Call me childish, call me ‘silly’, call me someone who doesn’t know the harshness of reality, but that was always your way!”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes narrowed. “What?”  
    
 “I won’t regret the pain you put me through, or the sorrow I gave you!” Rei pushed him back. “But I won’t regret all the laughs we shared either!”  
    
 Nagisa’s hands loosened around his blade and he was thrown back. He slammed against the wall, eyes wide. “Rei-chan…”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Outside, the battle raged on. The false images of Nagisa had disappeared, but Sousuke’s kept them at bay. The group of them began climbing the Chrysalis, tearing at limbs and pushing forward. They had spread out to different limbs as they advanced; Haruka’s bullet shattered many, but the Chrysalis grew more.  
    
 Makoto’s eyes narrowed. “It’s slowing down!”  
    
 Momotarou’s third eye was analysing. “I… The core! I can’t even describe what I’m seeing, but now! The core’s weak! Now’s our chance!”  
    
 Haruka fired several rounds.  
    
 Nitori heaved a blast from his mind.  
    
 Rin created eight serpent dragons, forcing all of them to fire.  
    
 Makoto’s beam cut through darkness.  
    
 The four attacks merged in a spiral before aiming for the Chrysalis’ forehead.  
    
 Sousuke switched the runes on his blade and sliced through the attack, breaking it apart and causing to blast outward.  
    
 Haruka growled. “Damnit.”  
    
 Sousuke threw himself off the Chrysalis, guiding himself through the air.  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened, realising he was going for him.  
    
 Sousuke landed nearby and charged at him, blade ready in hand.  
    
 Nitori fired a blast.  
    
 But Sousuke was quicker—he dodged. Twisting his wrist, he sliced at Nitori.  
    
 A line traced his chest and blood burst from the wound. He clattered to the ground. He looked up, eyes wide.   
    
 Sousuke heaved his weapon before crashing it down.  
    
  _“Nagisa.” Rin smiled. “Makoto’s really, really gentle… but when he has someone he wants to protect, nothing gets in his way.”_  
    
 Nitori closed his eyes as metal hit metal.  
    
 Sousuke scowled.  
    
 Makoto’s blade blocked the strike and now their weapons were locked. “I won’t…” He pushed Sousuke back. “Let you hurt him!” Clicking the trigger on his blade, the ‘teeth’ began to spin, becoming a chainsaw.  
    
 Sousuke’s eyes widened as his blade snapped in half, breaking into flickers of fire. He barely dodged the strike that followed.  
    
 Makoto looked over his shoulder. “Keep hitting the core! I have this!”  
    
 Nitori got up. “Right!”  
    
 A caw called out to him.  
    
 Rin rode his phoenix. “Ai!” He offered his hand.  
    
 Nitori took it and was pulled on the bird. His hair fluttered in the wind and he charged his magic, firing a ray at the Chrysalis. He began cracking the forehead and he pushed his energy forward.  
    
 On the Chrysalis, lower right arm, Momotarou looked up, shaking his head. “No… there’s, something wrong…”  
    
 Sousuke heaved his blade, forged anew, and slammed it against Makoto’s.  
    
 Makoto changed his footing and a growl burned in the back of his throat; he countered with a deep swing of his own.  
    
 Sousuke was thrown back. “Ughn.” He rubbed his jaw. “So, you’d kill me, Makoto?”  
    
 Makoto shook his head. “Of all people you want to manipulate, you should know I am not one you can turn against my friends. You’re treating this body differently, but it’s just another false one, a mirror image. You can’t trick me.”  
    
 “Well done.” Sousuke’s body became an abstract blob before he split into ten images, surrounding Makoto in a circle. “You were always perceptive, a force not to be reckoned with, even if you have a gentle heart.”  
    
 “Sousuke.” Makoto looked around him. “I know, the only way to save you now, is to put you out of your misery. I’m sorry.”  
    
 The ten Sousukes took their stance.  
    
 Makoto looked up.  
    
 “Duck.”  
    
 Makoto dropped to the ground.  
    
 The Sousukes all leapt forward.  
    
 Haruka dropped between them on and spun. Unleashing one psionic bullet, he spun with enough force to turn it into a whirlwind, shattering the false images.  
    
 Makoto stood up. “What we’re doing isn’t working, Haru!”  
    
 “I know.” Haruka put his guns in their holsters. “The Chrysalis is spending energy to keep up with us… but…”  
    
 “Yeah.” Makoto glanced up to Rin and Nitori in the sky. “We’re burning through ours way way way faster than it is. And even then, it has a bigger pool than we do; Nagisa has been storing this energy for years!”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “I’ll finish this, one hit.”  
    
 Makoto blinked at him. “Haru?”  
    
 His blue eyes met green. “Throw me up.”  
    
 Makoto nodded, gathering his magic in his free hand and blasting upwards.  
    
 White feathers gathered around Haruka and he jumped, flying through the air, dodging tentacles and limbs, blasts of white fire and black. He crossed his arms over his chest and surrounded himself in blue runes. “Nagisa…” He hung in the air, facing the Chrysalis.  
    
 Rin’s phoenix flew by him.  
    
 Rin frowned. “What are you doing?”  
    
 “Nanase?” Nitori called out.  
    
 “Just stay back!” Haruka extended his arms, letting the runes circle around him. His robe and cloak fluttered in the wind. “Rin. Trust me!”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened, and he nodded. “Haru! Kick its ass!”  
    
 The phoenix flapped its wings and flew away.  
    
 Haruka closed his eyes. “I will.” From his back, his spirit essence poured out in a perfect circle. “From the realm of the dead, I call you forth… From the world of your despair.” He thrust his hand forward. “I call you forth!”  
    
 Runes began to glow all around him.  
    
 Out of thin air, thin white rods began to form, each one the length of a spear.  
    
 Rin frowned. “What the fuck is that?”  
    
 Makoto looked up. “Haru?”  
    
 A flash of fire brought Sousuke back into existence, atop the Chrysalis’ head. “Haruka… you would stoop to forbidden spells?”  
    
 “I will do whatever I have to, Captain.”  
    
 The rods began to thicken, eventually becoming bones, locking together, one by one, thirty-one segments.  
    
 Momotarou stared at it. “A spine?”  
    
 Atop the spinal cord, the brainstem, flesh piled together, creating the reptilian brain, then the limbic sector, and finally the neocortex. The brain pulsated, pounding with activity. Along its deep valleys and ridges, a barrier formed, and then an arachnoid web protected it. Another layer formed, and then finally the skull.  
    
 “From your realm,” Haruka called out, “I call you to mine! As ruler to ruler, I beg for your help!”  
    
 Sousuke growled. “What member of the Lower Council summons the dead?”  
    
 “Sousuke. A lot has changed.” Haruka opened his hand, watching as flesh began to form around half the skull. “I am above the Lower Council.”  
    
 “Then why?” Sousuke yelled, “Why would a member of the High Council summon Izanami herself!?”  
    
 Izanami’s head poured blood, creaking noises coming from her jaw. She only had one eye, since only half her face formed. Long white hair fell from that half of her head and she began choking before a spear pierced its way out of her throat.  
    
 “I told you, Sousuke. A lot has changed. I am not Asia’s representative of the High Council.” Haruka grabbed the heavenly jewelled naginata and ripped it out of her throat, splashing green bile everywhere. “I am the 92nd Iris.” Midair, he back flipped onto Izanami’s head. “The highest ranking member and leader of The Eye!” He twirled the Ame-no-Nuboko and aimed it at the Chrysalis. “And, I… am responsible for, this.”  
    
 “Wait, so…” Momotarou blinked. “If Haru is the Iris, then…” His eyes widened with realisation. “Ai!”  
    
 “Sousuke!” Haruka yelled, voice echoing in the forest. “I failed you.”  
    
 Sousuke’s frown softened then disappeared. “What?”  
    
 “I fail so many people… as a friend, as family, as a lover… my life… is nothing but failure.” Haruka closed his eyes. “I failed you, Sousuke; I know, I know if I had reached out to you then, you wouldn’t have fallen, to… this. But I also know, even if I bear the shame and the guilt of your death, I know I am not the only one to blame. Rin made me realise, Nagisa’s sacrifice broke us… all four of us could have done more. But, we chose not to. All four of us bear the sin of that choice!”  
    
 Rin closed his eyes and looked away.  
    
 Makoto squeezed his blade, nodding once.  
    
 Haruka stared at Sousuke. “Not even forbidden spells can turn back time, but I… will do what I can.” He squeezed his spear, face becoming stern. “Izanami!”  
    
 She roared and dashed forward.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Sousuke yelled, swiping his blade—the Chrysalis screamed and thousands of tentacles shot forward.  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Haru!”  
    
 Izanami twirled, dodging hundreds of tentacles; but, like a car crash, as the tentacles slammed into her skull, Haruka was thrown forward by the momentum.  
    
 Sousuke’s eyes widened. He brought his blade back and swung, letting go, throwing it forward.  
    
 Haruka’s eyes narrowed and his ring began to glow.  
    
 The blade spun in the air aiming for him.  
    
 It sliced him open.  
    
 Makoto screamed, “Haru!”  
    
 Sousuke grinned. “Dead.”  
    
 “I never thanked you.”  
    
 Sousuke’s eyes widened and he looked up.  
    
 Haruka, whole, was still flying through the air. He held up his ring. “For giving me this.”  
    
 Mirror images.  
    
 Sousuke’s eyes widened.  
    
 Haruka did a front flip through the air, both hands on his naginata as he slammed it into the Chrysalis’ forehead, third eye, the core. He screamed as he struck. The surge of wind and fire threatened to push him back, but Haruka slammed his left hand against the butt of the spear, shoving it deeper inside. When it became too much, he let go—letting himself be thrown back in the surge of air.  
    
 But what was done was done.  
    
 The Chrysalis began break apart.  
    
 “Haru!” Rin shouted as his phoenix dove. “Ai, hold on!”  
    
 Nitori squeezed the fire with one hand and aimed with his other. He created a circle around Haruka to hold him steady. “Catch him!”  
    
 “Thanks!” Rin gasped and held out his hand. “Haru!”  
    
 Haruka opened his eyes and took the hand. He landed next to him. “Caught me, huh?”  
    
 “I always do, for some dumb-ass reason you stupid reckless piece of shit.” Rin smirked and shoved his hand in his phoenix, making it grow larger. It kept its wings together and twirled downwards. “Now let’s get your boyfriend. Makoto!”  
    
 Makoto saw it coming and he put his blade on his back. He ran forward and jumped. The black wind threatened to change his trajectory, but he angled his body, working against it.  
    
 “One more.” Rin caught him and looked around. “Where is that kid?”  
    
 “There!” Nitori cried out. “Momo!”  
    
 Rin sped up.  
    
 But Momotarou stood still, eyes on the Chrysalis.  
    
 Rin passed him and looked over his shoulder. He summoned reigns of fire and tugged them, making his phoenix turn around. “Hey!”  
    
 Nitori blinked. “Momo?”  
    
 Rin scowled. “Makoto!”  
    
 Makoto jumped off the phoenix, landing on the Chrysalis. He charged along its arm.  
    
 Momotarou blinked, looking at him. “Something’s wrong!”  
    
 Makoto threw him over his shoulder and jumped.  
    
 Rin caught them. “What the fuck is your problem, kid?”  
    
 Makoto put him down. “He said something’s wrong!”  
    
 Nitori looked down. “Rei and Nagisa are still fighting…”  
    
 Haruka coughed blood.  
    
 Makoto grabbed him. “Haru!”  
    
 Haruka grabbed his chest. “That spell… cost too much.”  
    
 Momotarou put a hand on him. “I’ll heal you!”  
    
 “Don’t you dare,” Haruka hissed, eyes closed. “Analyse the Chrysalis. Now.”  
    
 Momotarou blinked.  
    
 Makoto nodded. “Rin, bring us down! Momo.” He stared him in the eye. “You’re the only one who can sense. Please.”  
    
 Momotarou’s eyes widened. “But!”  
    
 Nitori grabbed his hand. “Momotarou Mikoshiba! Don’t be afraid. Just do it.”  
    
 “Oy.” Rin steered the bird down. “Jump off!”  
    
 Makoto picked Haruka up, bridal style, despite protest and leapt.  
    
 Nitori jumped off.  
    
 Momotarou followed.  
    
 Rin dismissed his phoenix and landed on his knees, pushing himself up. “Shit.”  
    
 Momotarou swallowed hard. “It’s an outer layer…”  
    
 Makoto put Haruka on his own feet and looked over. “Outer layer?”  
    
 “The… Nagisa-looking Chrysalis… it’s breaking apart now, but there’s something inside it… it almost looks like a dinosaur?”  
    
 Haruka shook his head. “Fuck…”  
    
 Rin glared at it. “So that’s why Sousuke couldn’t give Nagisa apoptosis the first time.”  
    
 Nitori put his hands together. “Then, what do we do?”  
    
 “Wait.” Momotarou shook his head. “This thing, it has no eyes, or ears? It’s… really simple. Almost like, primal?” He scrambled his hair. “I don’t know how to say it!”  
    
 As expected, the outer Chrysalis faded into sparkling white light, but a raptor-like monster was left. It was still the size of a skyscraper, but its limbs were thin and almost flimsy.  
    
 “It’ll still pack a punch,” Momotarou admitted, “But I think the worst is over.”  
    
 Nitori took a deep breath. “You think I can put all of it in a black hole?”  
    
 “No… it’s too much, Ai.”  
    
 Haruka leaned over, coughing, puking out blood and his insides.  
    
 “Haru…” Makoto shook his head. “You’ve done enough. Leave the rest to us.”  
    
 Haruka pulled out a syringe of glowing blue fluid. He slammed the needle into his neck and then tossed it aside.  
    
 Makoto grabbed him. “Haru!”  
    
 Haruka slapped his hands away. “If it were you, would you stop?”  
    
 Makoto’s eyes narrowed as he couldn’t reply.  
    
 Haruka didn’t need to say anything else.  
    
 Nitori looked at the syringe on the ground. “What was that?”  
    
 “A neo-biospirit fluid extract.” Haruka’s eyes locked on the new Chrysalis. “It has side effects, but my research… Ugh.” He pulled out another one.  
    
 “Haru.” Makoto stared at him. “You’ll die.”  
    
 Haruka slammed the short needle into his neck.  
    
 Makoto closed his eyes and smiled.  
    
 Haruka looked at him. “Yeah?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Makoto turned to the rest of them. “We only came this far because we already knew where the other Chrysalis’ weak-spot was. On this new one, even if it’s weaker, we have no idea how to fight it. It falls to you, Momotarou, to find its weak-spot. Haru and I are going in. We’ll draw its attention for as long as we can.”  
    
 “Rin.” Haruka closed his eyes. “It’s a primal-type. It will follow the biggest trace of magic. So if we die, it’ll go right for our support.”  
    
 “So, Rin.” Makoto was still smiling. “You and Nitori have to protect him, okay? Without a sensory, we don’t have a chance.”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened and brimmed with tears. “Look at the shape you guys are in… you’ll _die_ if you go back there.”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “I’ll die either way.”  
    
 Rin shook his head. “Haru!”  
    
 Haruka looked at him. “I would have died for Nagisa. I would have died for Sousuke. You know I would die for Makoto, so don’t think for a second I won’t die for you.”  
    
 “N-Nanase!” Nitori grabbed his arm.  
    
 Haruka looked at the ground. “Haru. Haru’s fine.”  
    
 “Rin.” Makoto nudged his shoulder. “Whatever happens, this is our choice. Don’t blame yourself.”  
    
 Nitori let go.  
    
 Makoto stepped forward.  
    
 Haruka did as well. “Makoto.”  
    
 “I love you, Haru; I love you so much, you crazy suicidal techno-engineer witch bastard.”  
    
 “And I hate your cats.”  
    
 “Wh-What?”  
    
 “If we die, I am getting this off my chest now: You’re a cat lady in your twenties and I fucking hate your cats. All of them.”  
    
 “All of them!?”  
    
 Haruka paused for a moment. “I like Tuna. I want to keep Tuna, but we’re giving the rest away.”  
    
 “But! If we’re keeping Tuna, we have to keep Salmon! They’re brother and sister!”  
    
 “Okay. We can keep Salmon.” Haruka nodded. “Salmon’s good.”  
    
 Rin gawked. “Are you guys serious!?”  
    
 Makoto looked over his shoulder. “Well I named the first one Mackerel, to keep Haruka happy… but that’s the one that slashed his eye.”  
    
 Haruka shuddered and pulled out his guns. “I haven’t eaten mackerel since.”  
    
 Makoto scratched his cheek with his left hand as his right pulled out his weapon. “The rest are also named after seafood.”  
    
 Rin opened his mouth to say something, but what the fuck was he supposed to say to that?  
    
 “So, Haru.” Makoto laughed. “Anything else you want to say before we go kill ourselves off?”  
    
 “Love you.”  
    
 “I love you too.”   
   
 “Anything else?”  
    
 “No. I’m good.” Makoto squeezed his blade, smile fading. “Let’s go.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 In the deepest recesses of his mind, Nagisa stood before a double door that spat out his whirling chaos. He put his hand against his heart, head down.  
    
 Sousuke walked up next to him. “It’ll be over soon.”  
    
 Nagisa nodded. “I just… don’t want to hurt anyone.”  
    
 “I know. They know it too, don’t worry.”  
    
 Nagisa looked up, pink eyes filled with tears. “Do you think… we can get a proper sending to the afterlife?”  
    
 “We’re too deep in the madness.” Sousuke shook his head. “We can’t be saved.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Momotarou dropped to his knees and screamed. “I can’t do it! I can’t do this!”  
    
 Rin kneeled next to him. “What’s wrong?”  
    
 “I’m trying, so hard! But I just… I just!” He clutched his head. “Why? I don’t understand anything! I’m trying, so hard, to keep up with everyone but I can’t do this, Rin. Ai. I’m sorry! I can’t explain what I’m seeing, I don’t even understand what I’m seeing, it feels like the whole world is crashing down on me and I can’t do this anymore!”  
    
 Nitori dropped to his knees and pulled him into a hug. “I’m sorry.”  
    
 Momotarou opened his eyes.  
    
 “I know the burden on your shoulder is heavy, but we need you.” He pulled away. “Please!”  
    
 “I can’t!” Momotarou stood up and took steps away. “Don’t you get it? I’ve never had the training you have! I never had a teacher! I never had The Eye to tell me what to do! I’m just an amateur… And now the Iris himself is lying dead on the floor because I can’t do what I was never able to!”  
    
 Rin grabbed his hand. “I know… Right now, Nagisa is the manifestation of every dark emotion from the war—trying to sense into that is to experience every tragedy that Nagisa absorbed.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “Then, we’ll take the burden!” He took Momotarou’s other hands. “We’ll take the pain, no matter how bad it is, just find the core!”  
    
 Rin nodded. “There’s no shame in needing help.”  
    
 “We’re a team,” Nitori added. “So please.”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Please!”  
    
 Momotarou looked at them both and gave a shaky nod. He brought his third eye into reality and opened it. He dove his consciousness into the pain, the sorrow—he heard the screams of men, women, children, watched countless murders and injustices, sights too sick to mention, corpses, blood, limbs torn apart, but he felt Rin and Nitori pull those images away. He searched into the beast’s body and it became clear. He could feel Nitori and Rin suffering, but he forced it out of his mind. He had to focus, he had to—“Found it… I think.”  
    
 “Yeah!” Rin frowned. “We can see it too, we’re linked.”  
    
 Nitori swallowed hard. “It’s at the very centre.”  
    
 “But,” Momotarou gasped, “It’s… undefined? Like, it’s not… It doesn’t have a physical form.”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Rin nodded. “We’ll take it from here. Save your spirit essence.”  
   
 Momotarou let go and dropped to the ground. “What are we gonna… do?”  
    
 “Rin.” Nitori turned to him. “I have a plan.”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “If it’s as crazy as I think it is…”  
    
 “Yeah. It is.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Rei slammed his blade against Nagisa’s.  
    
 Nagisa was thrown back, but he caught his footing and threw himself forward. His eyes were red; there was not an ounce of control left in him.  
    
 Rei knew there was no Nagisa left, but still. “Nagisa!” He called out, blocking the strike.  
    
 Nagisa pulled his blade back and pierced forward.  
    
 The blade ripped Rei’s shoulder and he screamed.  
    
 Nagisa grinned and pulled it out. He backed away and readied his sword for another stab. He ran forward and held his weapon with two hands before lunging forward with it.  
    
 Rei stared at the blond, remembering what those pink eyes once looked like. He tossed his blade aside, leaving himself defenseless. The sword pierced his stomach, ripping out the other side.  
    
 Rei took the hit.  
    
 Nagisa had lunged with such force that his body collided against Rei’s.  
    
 Rei caught him in an embrace, smiling as he pressed Nagisa’s head into his chest. “I don’t know if you’re still in there… but, I’ve always loved you.”  
    
 “Rei.” Nagisa frowned. “What… are you doing?”  
    
 “Saying something I’ve always wanted to.”  
    
 “Don’t you know?” Nagisa’s eyes turned pink again. “Love feeds me, it’s an emotion. It makes me strong.”  
    
 “My love has always made you strong.”  
    
 “Rei-chan…” Nagisa’s eyes watered. “That was so… corny.”  
    
 Rei laughed, agreeing with a nod. “But I love you. I should have taken my chance when I did, but I didn’t. That, however, doesn’t change how much I love you. Nagisa, you were always a light in my life. Your smile was my reason to keep going. Your laugh always warmed my heart. This past year without you… I’ve been so dark and serious; I forgot what it was like to be happy, to smile, to laugh. And, your stupid pranks… no matter how angry they made me at the time… they are my greatest memories.”  
    
 Nagisa choked on a sob. “I’m sorry I woke you up by screaming fire on April Fools that one time…”  
    
 “I ran out of the shrine screaming in my underwear,” Rei recalled. “It was record cold winter that month. Even in April, I jumped into fifteen meters of snow wearing practically nothing.”   
    
 Nagisa laughed and pushed his face against Rei’s chest, squeezing the fabric with his fingers. “I’m so sorry…”  
    
 “Even so, one of my best memories.”  
    
 “R-Really?”  
    
 “Nagisa… all my memories of you are my best memories.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Makoto fought off the tentacles alone. Haruka’s body dropped to the ground, unmoving, after a serious hit, and he didn’t respond to anything Makoto said. Blind by rage, Makoto’s blade hacked through everything it could, although he knew he wasn’t making any progress.  
    
 It was a caw that caught his attention.  
    
 Makoto looked up.  
    
 Rin winced. “If we miss with this phoenix, it’s over. I don’t have enough spirit essence left to summon another one and still do the second part of the plan.”  
    
 “It’s okay,” Nitori whispered. “Just focus on getting us in!”  
    
 “Right!” Rin’s eyes narrowed.  
    
 The raptor looked up and opened its mouth, shooting out black bile.   
    
 “Now!” Nitori yelled.  
    
 Rin heaved the reigns, forcing the bird to dodge but still stay close to the stream. He dived forward, into the monster’s mouth.  
    
 Makoto blinked. “What did he?”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Gliding along the slick tongue, Rin shook his head. “Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew!”  
    
 Nitori created a barrier around them as they moved down the throat and into the stomach acid. They floated on the surface of the bile, bobbing in the liquid. “It should be right there!”  
    
 Rin extended his arm and aimed for the wall of the Chrysalis’ stomach. With a snap of his fingers, flame speared a hole through the insides.  
    
 The stomach fluids began to pour into the hole and their force field was pulled towards it.  
    
 Nitori looked at him. “Ready?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 When they moved through the hole, the stomach bile disappeared… in fact, all semblance of the previous chamber disappeared.  
    
 They were floating.  
    
 The force field broke away.  
    
 Rin looked left and right, seeing what looked like stars and planets in the distance. At the centre of the room was a sphere.  
    
 “The core,” Nitori said as he drifted towards it.  
    
 It was white and shimmering.  
    
 Nitori floated away from it and looked at Rin. “Where are we?”  
    
 “I think…” Rin drifted to the other side. “We’re inside where the soul would be, if this thing had a soul.” He looked at the core. “And in there, is Nagisa and Sousuke.”  
    
 “Nagisa…”  
    
 “Well, we can’t reach him to give him an Apoptosis.” Rin summoned a serpent dragon. “So we’ll have to give him a Necrosis.”  
    
 “Rin, wait.”  
    
 Rin paused. “Yeah?”  
    
 Nitori looked at him. “I can create a black hole, but… at this distance, the two of us will be…”  
    
 Rin stared at him. “Any regrets, then?”  
    
 Nitori shook his head. “Just thought you should know.”  
    
 “Hm. Thanks.” Rin smiled and put his hands together. “Ai, when you’re ready… I’ll break their souls.”  
    
 Nitori nodded and held up both hands. Between them, black cords began to tangle, becoming a vacuum of all energy. “Do it.”  
    
 “Alright!” Rin swiped his hand.  
    
 His serpent dragon whirled around the room, gaining speed, before it bared its fangs. It charged at the core and bit down it, cracking to shards.   
    
 Nitori raised his hands and aimed forward.  
    
 Rin nodded.  
    
 Nitori grinned and released the black hole. The two of them were being sucked in and Nitori dove forward, reaching for Rin’s hand.  
    
 Rin took it and smiled.  
    
 Darkness.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 When Rin and Nitori opened their eyes, wind blasted at them. They were falling, falling towards something—no, Rin realised—they were being pulled in. At first he thought it was the black hole, but it was something entirely different. The black wind howled in his ears, screaming endlessly.  
    
 “Ah!” Nitori let go of Rin to cover his ears.  
    
 Rin hooked an arm around Nitori, making sure they wouldn’t drift apart, and he looked down.  
    
 There were three rings of clear crystal. The outer ring was the lowest, the middle ring was in the middle, and the centre ring was the highest. Below it all, was an endless abyss of darkness.  
    
 “What the fuck?” Rin stared at a massive double door on the lowest level, wide open, blasting out the black winds. When they landed on the outer ring, he looked up. “Nagisa?”  
    
 Nitori opened his eyes.  
    
 Nagisa stood at the centre, eyes unfocused as he stared at the double doors.  
    
 “Nagisa,” Nitori called out.  
    
 Rin grabbed him. “Wait.”  
    
 Nitori looked back.  
    
 “We don’t know if he’s… sane.”  
    
 Footsteps caught their attention. How simple footsteps could be heard over the roar of wind was unknown, but Rin figured sense and logic weren’t a primary aspect of this realm.  
    
 Sousuke walked towards them. “Don’t worry. He’s good.”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Sousuke?”  
    
 “Yeah.” He nodded. “This is… me. The real me. What’s left of the real me, I guess.” He looked towards the centre. “We’re at his core—the spiritual epicenter where mind, body, soul, and heart all come together.”  
    
 Rin looked around at the swirling black wind. “It’s…”  
    
 “Horrifying,” Nitori whispered.  
    
 Sousuke closed his eyes and nodded. “Nagisa!”  
    
 Nagisa blinked and turned to them, pink eyes pure, uncorrupt. A smile formed on his lips and he phased into gold light, appearing again in front of them. “Aii-chan…” He put his hands together, shoulders hunched inwards. “Rin-chan…”  
    
 Nitori stared in disbelief. “Nagisa…?”  
    
 Despite the howling winds, they could hear each other fine.  
    
 Nagisa nodded slowly and then he looked at his feet. “There’s… something I need you to do, before you can destroy our souls.” He vanished in golden speckles and then appeared again at the centre. “Rin, Ai? You accessed my memories through Chiyo Hazuki.”  
    
 “Your grandmother,” Rin pointed out. “Yeah.”  
    
 “Oh…” He looked down at them. “I wish Chiyo-chan was my flesh and blood, but she wasn’t. I think, maybe, that’s why I was never afraid of making family with you guys, though.”   
    
 “Wait.” Rin stepped forward. “What do you mean Hazuki wasn’t your gran?”  
    
 “She…” Nagisa flinched. “Well… Chiyo Hazuki is a psion, and that gives her the ability to manipulate consciousness, reality, and even memories. See this wind?” He motioned around him, forcing a smile. “This is what I have inside me, that feeds the Chrysalis.”  
    
 “Wow.” Nitori looked around. “So this is all… emotions?”  
    
 “Not all of my emotions, just the painful ones.”  
    
 “Pain.” Nitori eyes softened. “It’s so thick… and this is, all the pain you’ve picked up from the war?”  
    
 “No.” Nagisa looked down.  
    
 Sousuke closed his eyes.  
    
 Nitori blinked. “What did I say?”  
    
 “Wait!” Rin turned around. “This is… _your_ pain. _Just_ your pain?”  
    
 Nagisa nodded. “My father called it the Sorrow-Gale, because that’s what it is, really. A gale of my sorrows.”  
    
 “Father?” Nitori shook his head. “Nagisa, what are you talking about? You never knew your father.”  
    
 “Aiichiro.” Sousuke crossed his arms. “Please, just listen.”  
    
 Nagisa scratched his cheek. “The reason my Chrysalis was so strong was because of this, all of this. Chiyo Hazuki sealed away all my suffering and sorrow behind this.” He motioned to the open doors. “So it would never come to my mind. Right now, my core is taking on the physical appearance of my mind.”  
    
 Nitori put his hands together.  
    
 “Nagisa,” Rin spoke up. “Is it… so fucking gloomy because of the Chrysalis, or?”  
    
 Nagisa shook his head. “No. This is the way my mind has always been.” He moved his hand and crystal staircases formed from the inner rings to the outer ones.  
    
 Sousuke walked up the stairs.  
    
 Rin followed. “But inner minds, they’re supposed to be covered in mazes, right?”  
    
 “That part is because of the Chrysalis, yeah.” Nagisa stared at the doors. “The corruption broke apart my mind, but my inner-mind has always been this dark. But this is who I am… Sucks, huh?”  
    
 Nitori walked up the stairs and grabbed Nagisa’s hand. “Nagi…”  
    
 “I had a past far more traumatising than I like to know. Things… happened. As a toddler, I was being prepared to be turned into a Chrysalis. I was supposed to be chained up, ready to be used against another nation if a war broke out. The ultimate Chrysalis. But, Chiyo Hazuki stopped them… and sealed away all of my agony.” Nagisa closed his eyes. “I may not have been used for my original purpose, but when I was corrupted, that’s what I became. The ultimate Chrysalis. Rin-chan? Ai-chan? If you want to know the whole story… you can go see it. You can go and find everything out.”  
    
 Rin nodded. “Okay, I will.”  
    
 “Wait!” Sousuke growled.  
    
 Nagisa frowned. “Sousuke.”  
    
 “Rin, don’t. If you go through his memories… you’ll force Nagisa to find out about the darkness sealed away. You will force him to relive every moment of his sealed memories.”  
    
 “So…” Nitori squeezed Nagisa’s hand. “We’ll have the answer to every mystery, but… at what cost?”  
    
 Nagisa shook his head. “I’ll die either way.”  
    
 Rin looked over his shoulder. “That doesn’t make it right to torture your soul.”  
    
 “Nagisa,” Nitori whispered. “We don’t want to hurt you.”  
    
 Nagisa sighed. “Chiyo-chan tried to destroy those memories, but my heart held onto them. So she sealed them away, and gave me new memories. I don’t regret any of it. It was because of her, I became friends with Rei-chan, and it was because of her I got to eventually meet Momo-chan and you, Ai-chan. Chiyo gave me her surname, and held me close to her heart. She…” He brought his free hand to his chest. “Filled me with love, you know? We weren’t blood, but she made us family… just like how I made you guys family.”  
    
 Rin smiled. “So, that’s why you cherished happiness so much.”  
    
 Sousuke nodded. “That’s why he cherished us.”  
    
 “Nagisa.” Nitori closed his eyes. “Chiyo Hazuki was a psion, and with her powers she helped you. Rin got me this far, but I have to do this part.”  
    
 Nagisa pulled him into a hug, smiling. “Ai-chan. You’ve changed so much! It’s, amazing.”  
    
 Nitori pushed his forehead against Nagisa’s shoulder.  
    
 Nagisa pulled away and put his hands on Nitori’s arms, staring at him before letting go. He turned to the doors. “I can push the wind back, RinRin and Sou-chan can help me close this door, but it will open again. Only a psion can lock it.”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “I’ll do my best!”  
    
 “It’s actually not too hard.” Nagisa laughed. “It’s a basic spell lock. You know the one.”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “That… was the first spell Sensei taught me! She… did she teach it to me, so I can keep you safe? Did she, take me in to protect you?”  
    
 “That could be part of it,” Nagisa agreed. "That's what family does: Help each other. But it couldn’t be the only reason she took you in.” He smiled. “She was sympathetic to your cause, too.”  
    
 “Nagisa!” Nitori yelled, “You! You went to The Eye for me! So… if there’s something I can do… anything, I can do… for you. I’ll do it.”  
    
 Rin smirked. “Yeah. I owe you one, too, Nagisa.”  
    
 Sousuke rubbed his shoulder. “Guess we all do.”  
    
 Nagisa grinned. “Then… all of us, we’ll seal away the wind… and send it far away. Farther than the unconscious… It’ll be almost like a no-conscious… though Rei-chan will get mad at me for making up words again.”  
    
 Nitori chuckled.  
    
 “We’ll seal it away.” Sousuke nodded. “That will also stop the Chrysalis. Time doesn’t exist here, but out there… they’re still fighting the Chrysalis that is feeding on Nagisa’s inner torment.”  
    
 “The Sorrow-Gale,” Nagisa repeated.  
    
 Rin turned to Nagisa. “You’ll lose all your memories again?”  
    
 “Yep.”  
    
 “And, you’re okay with that? Like, are you really okay with that?”  
    
 “Honestly…” Nagisa looked down. “More than anything.”  
    
 “Rin.” Sousuke rubbed his jaw. “I’ve seen… some stuff. They’re not memories anyone would want to remember.”  
    
 “Yeah,” Nagisa agreed. “They serve no purpose, either, though. And it’s, almost a little ironic, actually. These memories, apparently my ‘real’ memories… they feel so, artificial. Even if I only lived through some stuff because of Chiyo-chan’s changes, those ones are the one that make up… me. I am Nagisa Hazuki, born and raised in the Nyorai Mori Shrine, with Rei-chan, and Momo-chan, and Ai-chan. To me, even with my ‘real’ memories, I am Nagisa Hazuki, who went to The Eye and joined Yamazaki’s squad. This is who I am, to me, even if I’m wrong.” Nagisa smiled. “Maybe it’s wishful thinking. Call me childish, call me ‘silly’, call me someone who doesn’t know the harshness of reality… but that’s… always been my way.”  
    
 “Nagisa,” Rin whispered.  
    
 Nagisa laughed, scratching his cheek. “When I see images of them, my father, my brother… my biological family… I feel, nothing. It’s not that I don’t accept them, it’s just… we’re related by blood, and nothing else. That’s not family.” He took Rin’s and Ai’s hands. “This is.”  
    
 Sousuke laughed, but the wind darkened.  
    
 Nagisa looked up. “No…”  
    
 “Nagi?” Rin let go of him and turned around.  
    
 “What’s going on?” Nitori asked.  
    
 Through the door black chains and grey smoke began to warp together, twirl and combine.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Sousuke yelled.  
    
 “Our time’s kinda cut short, guys.” Nagisa nodded. “This is it!” He let go of them and put both his hands up.  
    
 The Sorrow-Gale began to pick up speed, screaming becoming louder.  
    
 “Rin!” Sousuke yelled as he ran down a set of crystal stairs.  
    
 Rin went down as well, moving to the middle ring, and then the outer one.  
    
 Nitori looked around, feeling the bite of the screams trace nails along his skin. “Nagis…” He paused and stared at the doors, where a beast was walking towards them. He swallowed hard. “Nagisa… they’re getting stronger because you’re rejecting them.”  
    
 “I know.” Nagisa looked up at the storm. “But they don’t define me. I define me.”  
    
 “You’re right. No one can tell us who we are.” Nitori nodded. “So… kick their ass.”  
    
 Nagisa grinned and breathed in, powering up. With a surge of his hands, he aimed the wind at the doors. The gale of sorrows shifted, becoming stagnant, before blasting into the doors. Nagisa winced as he pushed as much as he could inside.  
    
 “Rin!” Sousuke grabbed one of the doors. He pushed it, hearing it grind against the crystal ground as it slowly closed.  
    
 Rin did the same, pushing with both hands as he squished his eyes closed.  
    
 Nagisa closed his eyes as he forced all it back.  
    
 The beast came closer.  
    
 “God!” Rin growled. “Damnit!”  
    
 Sousuke grit his teeth as he pushed.  
    
 Rin kept pushing. “Almost there!”  
   
 Sousuke pushed with all he had.  
   
 The doors closed.  
    
 Nitori opened his third eye and aimed a hand at the door.  
    
 Over the centre of the door, a purple ring formed and several runes twirled around it. They dance and shifted, changing shape and size several times before they spun. They spun fast enough to become a blur and a lock formed over the circle.  
    
 “Ai.” Nagisa fell to his knees. “Rin.”  
    
 Rin stared up at him.  
    
 “Please.” Nagisa looked up. “Forget about all of this. I don’t want anyone to know what the Hazukis did. To me, I am the Nagisa you all knew… so, for them too, I don’t want Rei or Momo or Haru or Mako-chan or anyone-chan to think of me any differently.”  
    
 “I understand.” Nitori put his hands together, locking the door.  
    
 Rin nodded and walked up the stairs. “You _are_ our Nagisa.”  
    
 Sousuke walked up as well. “Didn’t I tell you they would understand?”  
    
 Nagisa smiled and let out a breath of relief.  
    
 The room beat twice, like a heart.  
    
 Rin stopped. “This is…”  
    
 Sousuke looked up.  
    
 Nitori closed his eyes. “Warm…”  
    
 Sandy sunrays appeared above, one at a time. Beneath them, the abyss of darkness began to glow, becoming a gold light. Birds chirped and pink flower petals whirled around them. A flutter of purple butterflies flew in slow circles in the sky of Nagisa’s core.  
    
 Nagisa looked up, no expression on his face.  
    
 “This.” Sousuke nodded. “This is the Nagisa I remember.”  
    
 Rin looked around, seeing endless gold and pink. He smiled. “Yeah, the one who made us smile, always.”  
    
 “Nagisa.” Nitori turned to him. “You have a beautiful soul, you know?”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened and watered. He stood up and smiled. He could hear the far sounds of a waterfall, and a breeze of mist. “Aha.”  
    
 “It’s not just his soul,” Sousuke added, “The core is the epicentre. Mind, body, soul, and heart.”  
    
 “Nagisa.” Rin grinned. “Even if you were special or different or not what you appeared to be, we loved you for who you are. Family.”  
    
 Nagisa put a hand over his heart. “I can’t remember when I last felt this way. Captain…”  
    
 Sousuke nodded. “Yeah.” He looked at his hands that flickered like light. “We might be, pure enough for the afterlife.”  
    
 Rin walked over to Ai and put a hand on his shoulder. “We did it.”  
    
 Nitori pulled him down for a short kiss. “Yeah.”  
    
 “Teehee.” Nagisa put both hands behind his back. “You two play nice, now!”  
    
 “Shut up!” Rin scoffed.  
    
 Sousuke smiled. “Aiichiro. If he ever gets annoying or stubborn, just call him RinRin.”  
    
 Nitori laughed. “Will do. Ah!”  
    
 Rin looked down and saw his feet being lifted off the ground. He pulled Nitori close so they wouldn’t drift away. “Sousuke? Nagisa?”  
    
 Sousuke shook his head. “You’ve given us what we need. Thank you.”  
    
 Nagisa’s head became light and he fell over.  
    
 “Nagisa!” Nitori yelled.  
   
 Sousuke caught him.  
    
 Nagisa opened his eyes. “I’m okay! It’s okay.” He let himself be cradled in Sousuke’s arms. “Thank you, for everything. I’m sorry!”  
    
 “You idiot!” Rin’s face soured. “Don’t be. You’re our hero, Nagisa!”  
    
 “You too!” Nitori yelled. “Sousuke, thank you.”  
    
 Sousuke’s eyes widened. “Me? Forgiven.”  
    
 Rin grinned. “What a bunch of idiots.”  
    
 “Rin!” Nagisa called out, “Tell Rei-chan I love him!”  
    
 “Will do.” Rin gave a little salute as they kept rising.  
    
 Nitori laughed as they drifted away. High above, they could barely see the two anymore. They drifted to the light and he turned to Rin. “We did it!”  
    
 “Yeah. Let’s go back and tell the others.”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “And thank you, too.”  
    
 “Me?”  
    
 “For being near me, for needing me… for giving me the power to use my own power.”  
    
 “Ai.” Rin moved some of his hair out of his eyes.  
    
 “Thank you, for everything. For showing me that I shouldn’t be afraid.” Nitori kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”  
    
 “You big dumbass… you loser. I should be thanking you, for still not giving up on me. For not running away when I told you… for being braver than me. I love you.”  
    
 “I love you too, RinRin.”  
    
 “Oh!” Rin’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you fucking start too!”  
    
 Nitori cupped Rin’s face and kissed him.  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “Rei…” Nagisa nuzzled his chest. The black walls that created the dome began to break away and light poured in. “Rei.”  
    
 Rei nuzzled his hair, taking in the scent. “I wanted so much more time with you.”  
    
 “I’ve hurt you… I’ve hurt you so bad, Rei.”  
    
 Rei kissed the top of his head.  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes widened and his fingertips broke away, shattering into particles of light. “Rei-chan!”  
    
 Rei cupped his face and brought their lips together.  
    
 Nagisa laughed. “You taste like blood… not very romantic.”  
    
 “Sorry.” Rei grinned. “I’ll read some books about romance tactics.”  
    
 Nagisa’s feet lifted off the ground and disappeared; his legs began to dissolve into light. He cupped Rei’s face. “I love you.”  
    
 “I love you too.”  
    
 Nagisa tried to cup Rei’s face but his hands were gone. “I’m… going to disappear now.”  
    
 Rei looked down, where the sword once pierced his body. He didn’t recall it disappearing, but it was gone now. “With this wound… I think I’ll see you soon.”  
    
 Nagisa blinked, but nodded. “Okay.”  
    
 Rei watched him shatter into speckles of gold light. “Nagisa.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
   
    
 Makoto watched as the beast broke into bright flakes. He fell to the floor. “Is it, over?”  
    
 “Yeah.”  
    
 Makoto looked up.  
    
 Sousuke stared at the beast. His arms were glowing, slowly breaking apart into silver specks. “Thank you, Makoto.”  
    
 “Captain…”  
    
 “You’re my second in command, Makoto… so be good to Haru, and to Rin. Nagisa and I won’t be around… but we need our family to be together.”  
    
 Makoto smiled. “I’ll play the middle man.”  
    
 “Good.” Sousuke nodded. “But make sure to take care of you too.”  
    
 Makoto nodded. “If Haru’s even…”  
    
 “Don't be so gloomy. You know how strong he is.” With a flash of light, Sousuke disappeared.  
    
 Makoto stood up, holding his blade.  
    
 “He’s alive!” Momotarou shouted, tears pouring from his eyes. “Makoto, Nanase’s alive!”  
    
 Haruka opened his eyes, staring up at the sky.  
    
 Makoto ran over, throwing his blade to the side as he dropped next to him. “You! You idiot!”  
    
 Haruka looked over to Makoto and smiled. “We’re…”  
    
 “We’re?” Makoto leaned in. “Yeah?”  
    
 “Giving away… those cats.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “Ready, Nagisa?”  
    
 “Sir, yes, Sir, Captain-chan!”  
    
 “Then let’s go. Our time’s up.”  
    
 “Yeah, to our next life.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “Don’t you give me that shit!” Momotarou shook his head. “I’m not letting you die either.”  
    
 Rei felt the magic fill his wound and he sighed.  
    
 Haruka was standing, with support from Makoto. “How…” He coughed. “Is he?”  
    
 “He’ll be fine.” Momotarou removed his hands. “I know you want to see Nagisa, but not just yet, Rei. I… We need you too, okay?”  
    
 Rei’s eyes widened. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”  
    
 Makoto looked forward.  
    
 Where the Chrysalis once stood was now endless light. Dust and fog swirled around like a storm of gold at the centre.  
    
 Haruka stepped away from Makoto, testing his balance.  
    
 “Haru?” Makoto looked at him. “Are you okay?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Haruka nodded. “Momo, was it?”  
    
 Momotarou turned to him. “Yeah.”  
    
 “You’re exceptional.” Haruka nodded again. “Thanks.”  
    
 Momotarou’s cheeks reddened and he scratched his cheek. “N-Nah.”  
    
 Rei stared at the light. “But… Ai, and Rin.”  
    
 Makoto felt his chest squeeze. “Momo, could you sense into that light?”  
    
 Momotarou nodded. “I tried before, but it was too heavy. It’s loosened up a lot though, here I go.” He dove his vision forward and he gasped. “Rin! Ai!” He ran forward.  
    
 Haruka caught his arm.  
    
   
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Light was flowing outwards. At the centre of the lightwell, Rin looked at the sky. It was bright blue… how long had they been fighting? Or was it because of the light? He blinked twice. “Ai?”  
    
 “Yeah?”  
    
 “Are we… dead?”  
    
 “No.”  
    
 Rin sat up slowly.  
    
 “Rin. We’re not dead, but.” Nitori was kneeling on one knee. “We’re out of the frying pan, and into the fire.”  
    
 Rin blinked and looked at him. He followed Nitori’s path of sight and his eyes widened.  
    
 Rei and Momotarou were handcuffed, Makoto was looking away, and Haruka was walking towards them.  
    
 The light thinned around them and Rin stood up. “Haru?”  
    
 Haruka paused in front of them, guns in hand.  
    
 “Haruka.” Rin’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”  
    
 Haruka pointed his gun at Rin.  
    
 “Haru!?”  
    
 “As the Iris of The Eye, I am taking Aiichiro Nitori into custody for being a psion. He will stand trial to determine whether he will be executed.”  
    
 Rin took a step back. “No, please… Haru, please.”  
    
 “My decision is final. I.” He looked conflicted before he inhaled sharply. “I will shoot you!”  
    
 “Please!” Rin begged.  
    
 Nitori looked up at Haruka and closed his eyes.  
    
 “Haru-chan…”  
    
 Rin turned around, looking behind him.  
    
 Haruka froze.  
    
 The light thinned and Sousuke was on his knees. Sousuke looked up, cradling Nagisa in his arms. “I thought… we were family, weren’t we?”  
    
 Nagisa’s eyes opened, pink and bright, pure. “Please, Haru-chan… don’t hurt anyone… I’ve hurt enough people, so please…”  
    
 Rin’s eyes widened. “Nagisa! Sousuke…”  
    
 Nitori stared, mouth open.  
    
 Haruka’s grip on his gun weakened. His eyes were shaking, and soon his hands too. There was a rattling noise from his gun, until it stopped. Haruka gripped his guns and pointed it again at Rin. “Opposing me is choosing death. Hand over Nitori!”  
    
 “Like hell!” Rin yelled through his teeth, eyes burning with rage and tears. “You are _not_ having him!”  
    
  _“Enough!”_ Nitori yelled, looking down. “I’ll come… of my own accord. I’ll stand trial.”  
    
 Haruka put a gun in his holster and pulled out a cuff. “They limit magic. Don’t try anything; they get tighter if you do.”  
    
 Rin stared at Haru’s back, feeling the power slip away from his body. His vision dimmed and his mind went dark. His soul was a battlefield and the winning army had left; his soul was covered in death. He was going to lose everything. Once again, he was going to lose everything. He stared at Haruka’s back, looking at Nitori. He was going to lose everything. Rin took a breath. He… was going to lose everything. Rin looked at the ground. He was going to lose… everything.   
    
 No.  
    
 Rin’s eyes opened and he swiped his hand to the side. With a burst of flame, one of his dragons wrapped itself around him.  
    
 Haruka leapt back, cape fluttering as he landed. He was still holding one gun and he didn’t hesitate to fire.  
    
 The psionic bullet crashed against Rin’s chest, exploding his dragon and throwing him back. Rin’s feet grinded against earth as he was thrown back, trying to keep his balance but toppled over. He forced himself to stand, but his eyes caught sight of something black.  
    
 Haruka ejected his ammo clip. It was transparent, as all his bullets were; but, in his other hand, was a black one. They weren’t magic bullets. They were real bullets. Haruka slammed the clip into the gun and aimed it at Rin.  
    
 Rei’s eyes widened. “Nanase!”  
    
 “Haru-chan.” Nagisa gasped. “No!”  
    
 “Don’t!” Momotarou pleaded.  
    
 Sousuke closed his eyes and looked away. “Haruka!”  
    
 “Haru!” Makoto ran over.  
    
 “Nanase…” Nitori whispered. Blue eyes widening. He saw Makoto run over, but he knew he wouldn’t make it in time. He felt air fill his lungs, and he tried to move his hands, but the cuff held him in place. “No!”  
    
 Haruka heard their screams, a chorus of screams, silenced—by a gunshot.


	18. Eye

 “Ai…” Rin opened his eyes. Groggy, he frowned. Brightness seeped into his eyes and he closed them. His pointer and middle finger twitched, but his hand was numb. His body was sore. He grunted, opening his eyes again. He knew where he was. His breath hitched in his throat. The support systems hooked up to him beeped in a rhythm; his heartbeat was fine. Still, it felt like everything stopped. Rin’s eyes watered and he shook his head. “No.”  
    
 He stared at the ceiling.  
    
 The white ceiling.  
    
 He knew where he was.  
    
 He was in the Guardian Wing, the medical ward of The Eye.  
    
 Rin put a hand over his chest and gasped. He poked at it, trying to find the bullet wound.  
    
 “Rin.”  
    
 “Huh?”  
    
 Miho Amakata walked towards the hospital bed, high heels making curt noises against the floor. She had a clipboard in one hand and she brought it against her chest, crossing her other arm over it. “I’m surprised you’re up already.”  
    
 “S-Sensei?” Rin forced himself up. His vision was blurry and he breathed through his nose. “Ai…”  
    
 Miho smiled. “He’s okay.”  
    
 “Ai?” Rin winced as he adjusted himself. “Ai’s okay?”  
    
 “Aiichiro Nitori, Rei Ryugazaki, Momotarou Mikoshiba, Haruka Nanase, Makoto Tachibana, Sousuke Yamazaki, Rin Matsuoka, Miho Amakata, and… Nagisa Hazuki, returned safely from eliminating the class thirteen Chrysalis that appeared in Nazuoka, three days ago.”  
    
 “Wait…” Rin’s mind spun and his vision wavered. He didn’t know which question to ask first, but he went with the simplest. “You?”  
    
 “I was on scene.” She nodded. “Haru and Makoto came to me to get access to your sister’s room, outside of visiting hours. Not that anyone would say no to the Iris himself, but they asked me. Makoto made him, I think. Makoto’s always been so polite. When they explained what was going on, I decided to come with. Good thing I did. That Mikoshiba-kun was lying half dead in the living room when we got there.”  
    
 “Then… why didn’t you fight?”  
    
 “Well, someone had to keep the aura going.” Miho sighed. “Honestly, you kids. Not everyone can charge in, guns blazing. If I hadn’t kept the invisibility up, the news and all the international satellites would have seen the Chrysalis. The Eye would have been completely exposed to the human population.”  
    
 “Hn.” Rin relaxed. “Right… didn’t even think about that… So, everyone’s… okay?”  
    
  “Mostly.” Miho looked away. “Nagisa is… slipping in and out of comas, and there’s little we can do about that. He’s had major health issues and has gone under several surgeries, but he’s somewhat stable now. It’s completely unknown if he’ll regain full function, as we have seen some signs of brain damage through scans. Sousuke is the same, but to a much much lesser extent. We’ve predicted Sousuke will eventually have a full recovery; we’ve already started therapy with him.”  
    
 Rin breathed a sigh, looking at his lap. “And… Ai?”  
    
 “Aiichiro Nitori… at the end of the week, will stand trial.”  
    
 “Trial.” Rin’s eyes widened. “No, please…” His hands turned to fists. “Who’s the judge…? Jury? Who’s defending him?”  
    
 “The judge and jury will be the High Council.” Miho met his eyes with her own. “Haru is defending him, personally.”  
    
 Rin stared. “Haru?”  
    
 “You attacked Nanase, Rin. Even if that might be common in days past, he is the Iris now. You physically assaulted our elected leader. That is a crime only punishable by death… and, Haru, chose to _not_ report that.” Miho watched his eyes widen. “The official story that Haru and the others are all sticking by is that you saw Nagisa and Sousuke return and… began hyperventilating. You became unstable, so Haruka was forced to use a tranquiliser.”  
    
 “Tranquiliser?” Rin patted his chest, finding a lack of a bullet wound. “He used a tranquiliser?”  
    
 “Enough tranquiliser to sedate an elephant in there.” Miho pulled a stool closer and took a seat. “You’ve all been through so much…”  
    
 Rin looked down, shoving his face into his hands.  
    
 “You’re a free man, Rin.”  
    
 “Shut up!” He smashed his fist against the metal railing of the hospital bed. The sound echoed in the room, until all fell silent. Rin breathed once, and then shook his head. “None of that matters…”  
    
 “Well.” She crossed her legs and smoothed her skirt. “Over the course of the week, several members will be speaking to the High Council. That includes the Mahō, several specialists, and myself. It is, however, a closed trial. Haru… is… letting you attend the final day, as speaker for your experience with Aiichiro, as well as moral support. He wants you there when they force Aiichiro Nitori to stand in front of the council.”  
    
 Rin’s hands turned to fists. “Why does he do that? Why does Haru hurt me? We’re friends, we’re family, right? So why is it always a battle, why do things always have to go back and forth? Why do I trust him one moment and can’t another? Why does he shoot me then protect me?”  
    
 “Well, I know a good quote for that.” Miho raised a finger, despite the angry look Rin gave her, and smiled. She cleared her throat. “As the twentieth century Jamaican, singer-songwriter, musician, and guitarist, Robert Nesta ‘Bob’ Marley said: ‘The truth is… everyone is going to hurt you. You just have to find the ones worth suffering for’.”  
    
 Rin stared at her for a long minute. “That… was actually useful, for once.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 About half an hour later, after a series of tests and spirit scans, Rin was let go. Apparently Makoto had brought him a spare change of clothes, so he used the facilities, showered and got dressed in a clean shirt and jeans. He found several bruises and marks on his body; he was unsure which would end up being scars and which ones would heal, but he kind of hoped all of them disappeared. The three lines on his neck that Nagisa had scratched, though, looked like they were going to stay. They had thinned and were barely noticeable, but Rin ran his fingers along them and sighed.  
    
 They still stung, but it was obvious Miho had healed him personally.  
    
 She was the head of the Guardian Wing and one of the few witches who could rival Haru.  
    
 Although she was a support type, which meant a few things; while she didn’t specialise in offense like Haru, she could still pack a punch, but Haru would win any fights between them. Supports could rarely win fights. Though it was the same with Nagisa—Nagi’s magic was on par with Haru and Miho, but Nagisa wasn’t a fighter.  
    
 Rin traced the lines on his neck.  
    
 Or he was a fighter, when he was a Chrysalis.  
    
 But he wasn’t anymore.  
    
 The Sorrow-Gale…  
    
 Rin had gone back to Miho’s office and asked if he could visit either Sousuke, Gou, or Nagisa, but she said all of them had used up their week’s worth of visiting hours. He got angry and she admitted she’s been trying to change the system. He wasn’t angry at her, but she let him get it out of his system.   
   
 He thanked her for that and left. After that, he ran a hand through his damp hair and walked down the hall. He was on his way to the elevator when he turned the corner. And saw a certain deer caught in the headlights.  
    
 Rin blinked. “Haru.”  
    
 Haruka blinked back. “Rin.”  
    
 Rin grit his teeth.  
    
 “You’re…” Haruka looked him over. “Okay?”  
    
 “You.” Rin narrowed his eyes. “You asshole.”  
    
 Haruka glanced to the floor.  
    
 Rin pulled his fist back, ready for a punch.  
    
 Haruka closed his eyes, bracing himself… but found two arms around slip him. He opened his eyes and felt Rin embrace him, squeezing him tight. Slowly, he put his arms around Rin and closed his eyes.  
    
 “You…” Rin sighed. “Why don’t you ever tell me you’re on my side?”  
    
 “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I was scared.”  
    
 “Scared. You?”  
    
 “I’m always scared… Most of the time, my duty conflicts with what I want to do. What if I pick the wrong one?”  
    
 Rin pulled away and sighed, looking him over.  
    
 “You’re… not mad?”  
    
 “I am so fucking mad!” Rin clamped his mouth shut and sighed through his nose. “But… there’s nothing I can do about that. Yelling at you won’t fix anything.”  
    
 “Hm.” Haruka’s lips tugged into a rare smile. “That’s, kind of mature.”  
    
 Rin rubbed his nose and laughed. “Yeah. I guess.”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “About time you grew up…”  
    
 “Oy!”  
    
 Haruka scoffed, but didn’t apologise.  
    
 Rin grinned.  
    
 Haruka’s smile faded. “We need to talk.”  
    
 “Ai’s trial?”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “She told you?”  
    
 “Some of it. I’m guessing there’s a whole lot more though.”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “Right now the High Council is only doing hearings. When it comes to laying the case for or against, that’s on the last day. As Iris, I start the discussion, and I need all the help I can get. We also… need your permission for a last resort.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 After the tunnel of whirling spirit essence, Rin stepped out of the portal. Sand crunched beneath his feet and he heard the rush of ocean waves. He looked along the beach and sighed. It was the one reason he never came over. He shook his head, shaking those thoughts away. “Oy, Haru. Politics… I hate politics. You know what I like about witching?” He walked up to the wooden house. “Rituals, insight, herbs, mixing reagents… I don’t like any of this fighting big monsters. I want to talk to spirits, learn new spells, not fucking… this.”  
    
 Haruka walked up the wooden steps and unlocked the door. “Welcome to my world.”  
    
 As soon as the door opened, an orange furball jumped at him.  
    
 Haruka caught the ball of fur and cradled it in his arms. “Hello.”  
    
 She meowed.  
    
 Haruka turned to Rin. “This is Tuna.”  
    
 Rin walked up the stairs and looked at her. “Fuck you, cat.”  
    
 She meowed again.  
    
 Haruka looked at him. “She says hello.” He pushed the door open with his foot and stepped in. He flicked a speck of water at the light switch and the front entrance lit up. He took off his shoes and went in.  
    
 Rin followed, taking off his shoes, and closing the door behind him. He followed Haruka to the living room, where several people sat at the table. He paused.  
    
 “Rin!” Momotarou hopped out of his seat and practically tackled him.  
    
 “Oy!” Rin growled as he caught him and ruffled his hair. “Hey.”  
    
 “Rin.” Makoto stood up. “You’re awake!”  
    
 Momotarou pulled away, and Makoto went in for a hug. Rin nuzzled Makoto’s neck before pulling away. He glanced to the table and smiled. “Hey.”  
    
 Rei looked up from the scattered papers. He wasn’t the hugging type, Rin knew, but his eyes softened and a smile formed on his lips. “Hello.” His eyes went back down and continued reading his sentence, mouthing the words as he read silently.  
    
 It was obvious from Makoto’s eyes he wanted to be around Rin, but he turned and went back to the table. He followed along with Rei.  
    
 Momotarou stretched. “Those two have been at it for hours. I’m… kind of mostly getting in the way, so I just making tea every once in a while, and distract the cats. Nanase wasn’t kidding, there’s like six of these things!”  
    
 “Eight,” Haruka corrected in a murmur.  
    
 Rin ruffled Momotarou’s hair again and grinned. “Still useful.”  
    
 “Yeah, I guess.” Momo looked around. “You know, I really like this place. Middle of nowhere. Reminds me of home.”  
    
 “Hah.” Rin looked at Makoto. “Haru wanted somewhere by the ocean, but there aren’t any portals set up near water. And building a new portal has a lot of complications, because what if a civilian comes across it, right? So Mr. Rich-Ass Iris Haru just bought an island and got a portal here.”  
    
 Momotarou blinked. “Really? That’s so cool!”  
    
 “I built the portal myself,” Haruka admitted as he put Tuna down. “It’s faster than the normal ones.”  
    
 Rin nodded. “He has to take a portal to and from work every day, so it all works out.”  
    
 “No neighbours too.” Momotarou laughed. “Must be nice.”  
    
 “It is.” Haruka turned to Rin and crossed his arms. “Rei has a plan.”  
    
 Rei looked up. “Yes, Nanase has said that the other councillors will most likely be bringing up an old doctrine called the Willing Sacrifice.”  
    
 “Willing?” Rin glared. “Sacrifice!?”  
    
 “It’s okay!” Makoto assured. “It’s not aptly named.”  
    
 “Indeed.” Rei nodded. “I would never sacrifice Aiichiro. It dates back to the eighteen hundreds, actually… the bubonic plague. The bacteria responsible for it destroyed an incredible amount of Europe. There had been several outbreaks, small and large, over many years, except the largest one was prevented, at the end of the nineteenth century. Witches sacrificed willing victims to cure the plague for thousands.”  
    
 “Okay.” Rin stepped forward. “So let me guess… if there’s a doctrine about it, that means The Eye was cool with that? So… it’s saying is the ends justify the means?”  
    
 Haruka shrugged. “It’s a little different… as long as there is a good end, then we should allow the means… if they’re already there.”  
    
 Makoto nodded. “So basically, we’re applying that to psions.”  
    
 Rin blinked. “I… don’t get it.”  
    
 “Oh!” Momotarou shouted. “What you’re saying is psions are crazy bad, like killing people as sacrifices, but if Ai is already here and already alive and free _and_ he has a use for The Eye—they’ll keep him!”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 When the glass doors opened, Nitori looked up. His blue eyes widened and he shot out of his seat. “Rin!” He ran across his cell, practically colliding against his boyfriend.  
    
 Rin wrapped his arms around him tight and pulled him close. “Ai.”  
    
 Nitori pressed his face against Rin’s chest and took in his scent.  
    
 Rin squeezed them together, kissing his shoulder. The feeling of those arms around him… Rin grinned and nuzzled Nitori’s hair, placing a kiss on his head too. “Ai…”  
    
 “Rin…” Nitori nuzzled into his chest. “I was so scared, when, when Nanase…” He looked up. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”  
    
 Rin cupped his face and kissed him before pulling him back in an embrace.  
    
 Haruka let them stay that way for two full minutes before he spoke, “Aiichiro.”  
    
 Nitori pulled away, looking at him.  
    
 “Are you ready?” Haruka tilted his head. “Your trial begins soon.”  
    
 “No.” He shook his head. “I’m not ready…”  
    
 “It’s okay.” Rin smiled. “I’ll be with you.”  
   
 Nitori blinked. “The whole time?”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin kissed his cheek. “I’m here for you.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 Nitori stepped into the circular room. The walls and floors were made of dark blue crystal; there seemed to be an almost ocean-like movement beneath the crystals, but he looked up. He wasn’t sure if there was a ceiling, for the walls seemed to extend forever into oblivion. Nitori looked around, noticing seven semi-circles on the walls, evenly spaced. They each had a throne-like seat and a person sitting.  
    
 The High Council.  
    
 Rin put his hand on Nitori’s shoulder. “Ready?”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “Yeah.”  
    
 “Hm.” A woman in her thirties, North America’s representative, spoke first, “This… is him?”  
    
 A man in his forties, Europe’s representative, spoke second, “A little smaller than I imagined…”  
    
 Asia’s representative, a young man, barely twenty, laughed. “Do you mean he’s a little more human than you expected?”  
    
 “Silence!” the second one yelled at him.  
    
 “Hmm,” the first one repeated.  
    
 “Child,” an elderly woman, Africa’s representative, called out. “Turn this way.”  
    
 Nitori turned towards her and realised he couldn’t see her face.  
    
 There were giggles from the Oceanic representative. Her voice was far too high pitched, “Oh my, you’re not getting an eye for him, are you?”  
    
 “Improper!” South America’s representative, shouted, a large, gruff man in his fifties.  
    
 Haruka sighed. “Enough.” They all turned to him. “Aiichiro Nitori. This is the International Representative Inner Sector. Iris. Very few witches have stood here.”  
    
 “Yeah!” The fifth one giggled again. “It’s a dark cryptic little place…”  
    
 The third one laughed again. “Not always.”  
    
 “That’s true,” the fifth one went on, “They call the Highlord the ‘Iris’ because the colour of The Eye’s inner chamber changes depending on who is the Iris. Nanase is just so calm and broody, like the ocean.”  
    
 “Improper!” the sixth one shouted again.  
    
 The fourth one, the old lady, just sighed.  
    
 “Well,” the laughing man chuckled as he spoke, “I honestly don’t know why they didn’t just call the Highlord the ‘Eyelord’, get it?”  
    
 The first one sighed as well. “Can we please focus?”  
    
 “Nanase,” the second one called.  
    
 Haruka looked like he was having a migraine. He gave an annoyed ‘tch’ and closed his eyes. “This is a private trial held by—”  
    
 “Nanase,” the first one spoke again, “How about we skip this part?”  
    
 “How about,” the second one spoke, “You shut the fuck up?”  
    
 “Wow.” Rin rolled his eyes. “The strongest of all witches have the biggest of all egos, huh?”  
    
 Nitori nudged his rib. “Rin.”  
    
 Rin coughed. “Sorry.”  
    
 The little girl leaned over the railing, but little of her face could be seen. “Honourary member, huh? Hm! Nanase, let’s skip the ceremonial _shit._ We’re all eager and cranky.”  
    
 “Fine.” Haruka nodded. “Aiichiro Nitori is a psion that has exhibited full control over his abilities. You have heard the testimonials of Rei Ryugazaki and Momotarou Mikoshiba, the two other members of Japan’s origin house, Mahō. Rin Matsuoka, who has not known him as long, can also confirm this. Yes?”  
    
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “Shit, this guy can control his wide radius spells better than I can. They can slip through me, just fine, and hit the bad guys. Meanwhile, if I tried to do that with fire, I’ll burn everyone.”  
    
 Haruka eyed Nitori for a moment. “I, myself, have also participated in a battle with Nitori as my teammate. I can attest to his control, and even note he was able to work my magic bullets on his own.”  
    
 “Hm.” The first councillor looked impressed.  
    
 Haruka went on: “It is also worth repeating Aiichiro Nitori also aided in the second battle of Nagisa Hazuki’s Chrysalis, and was the only reason we were able to destroy it. And, for the first time, bring the corrupted soul back from corruption. Although unproven at this point in time, I will also remind everyone of my leading theory on Chrysalises and psions.” Haruka looked around. “There is, however, several unanswered questions. Nitori.” He looked down. “You sealed away a Necrosis in what you called a black hole.”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “Yes.”  
    
 “Oh!” Giggles from the fifth. “Well that’s kind of cool. Explain, please!”  
    
 “I’ve never heard of this,” the second one said.  
    
 The fourth one hummed. “What is stopping him from using such an ability on a fellow teammate?”  
    
 “O-Oh.” Nitori turned to her. “Black holes… aren’t like the ones that happen in space, I don’t think. I can’t use it to suck up people or souls, not even buildings, or anything with physical substance…” He looked around, feeling the eyes on him. “It sucks up and eliminates spirit essence.”  
    
 “I see.” The first one nodded. “Spells, but not people. Necrosis blasts, but not souls trapped inside. Chrysalises, but not Hazuki or Yamazaki.”  
    
 “Well!” The third one laughed. “Would you prove to us that black holes cannot be used on people… perhaps, use it on Matsuoka here?”  
    
 Nitori’s eyes widened. “What?”  
    
 Rin glared.  
    
 “He’s hesitating!” the third one sang.  
    
 “Enough,” Haruka cut in. “Rin Matsuoka has been recently hospitalised. Draining his magic would be unwise.”  
    
 “Hm.” The third one summoned a sphere of fire, lighting up his face. “How about a fireblast?”  
    
 “Do not.” The fourth one hissed. “Put that spell away.”  
    
 “Fine!” He snapped his hands shut.  
    
 The fifth councillor hopped on the railing and jumped down; she graced down to the floor and looked at Nitori. She had the appearance of a young teenage girl, but had wisdom in her eyes. Putting her hands together, octagons formed a brown barrier around her, each one several inches thick. “Use a black hole on me, please.”  
    
 Nitori took a step back.  
    
 “Aiichiro,” her voice was gentle. “We might be assholes with big egos, but we don’t want to kill you. And we all know our facilities for psions are far too packed even for one more. You have an amazing ability, control. You could help a lot of people… We don’t want to hurt anyone; in fact, from the bottom of our hearts we want to help them! But… if we can’t prove your control or the fact that you aren’t dangerous…”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “Alright.” He opened his hand and black cords began to weave together.  
    
 Rin stared at the spell, feeling his chest squeeze.  
    
 Haruka had calm eyes, betraying how his heart pounded in his ears.  
    
 Nitori warped reality, creating a vacuum. He let it gain force, before he lifted his hand. He swallowed hard and launched it at her.  
    
 The second it tapped her shield, it was pulled in. The octagons broke apart, shattering and being sucked up.  
    
 The fifth councillor walked around it. “Hold the spell, please.” She raised a hand. “There is a pulling force here.” She looked at her long brown hair which was being pulled towards it. “But, he might be right. It’s possible it won’t hurt people… only one way to make sure.” She played with her fingers, letting them dance, before poking the black hole.  
    
 Everyone leaned in.  
    
 “Ahh!” she screamed, before bursting into a giggle fit. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding. It’s harmless! He’s right.” She poked at it a few more times before raising her hand. Her fingers were covered with a brown light before she slashed the black hole, shattering it.  
    
 Nitori fell back.  
    
 Rin caught him. “Oy!”  
    
 The councillor blinked. “Eh? Sorry.” She released a healing spell at him.  
    
 “Thank you.” Nitori stood upright again.  
    
 “Hm.” She nodded, tapping her lips. “It really sapped the magic out of me, but your black hole is a little weak. I guess the idea that psions are inherently stronger than elementalists, shades, or supports is also wrong.” She lifted off the ground and floated back up to her seat.  
    
 Haruka watched her for a moment before looking around. “Are we satisfied to move on?” He got six nods and nodded in return. “Aiichiro Nitori fully sealed away a Necrosis in a black hole. He shows an ability that is extremely beneficial to The Eye; an ability that no one else has, and with our current stance on psions… an ability no one may ever have again. But, he also shows a great risk, one we all know well. There is an old doctrine, one of the Willing Sacrifice. Does anyone need a review?”  
    
 “As if!” The third one leaned back in his chair. “Of course it would come to this.”  
    
 “Good,” Haruka went on. “We know the risk and reward.”  
    
 “Hmm.” The fourth one raised her hand. “There may be a second reward.”  
    
 Rin hid his smile.  
    
 “Aiichiro Nitori,” her old, creaky voice called out. “How did you… learn to control, your psionic abilities?”  
    
 “My mentor.” Nitori looked up. “Chiyo Hazuki.”  
    
 Haruka pretended to be surprised. “ _The_ Chiyo Hazuki?”  
    
 “Uh.” Nitori scratched his cheek. “Yes? I wasn’t aware she was known…”  
    
 “Hm.” The second one crossed his arms. “She has been the only psion allowed to live without The Eye’s rule. She had an apprentice? How interesting. Nanase?”  
    
 Haruka shrugged. “I was unaware. Nitori, please tell us everything.”  
    
 “O-Oh, okay.” Nitori nodded. “M-My parents worked for The Eye, and when they found out I was a psion, they sought different safe houses for me. They eventually came to the Japan’s origin house, where Chiyo Hazuki took me in. She taught me to control it… in fact, it wasn’t too hard. There were some mental exercises, some meditation, not all that different from how they taught elementalists at the Mahō.”  
    
 Haruka leaned forward. “Could you… teach someone else?”  
    
 Nitori blinked. “W-Well… I think so?”  
    
 “Hah!” the third one yelled. “That’s not a yes, so—”  
    
 “But,” the second one interrupted, “That’s not a no.”  
    
 The first one put her hand on the railing. “A trial run of sorts?”  
    
 “Hm.” The fifth one crossed her legs. “It would be best if he worked with a child, as Hazuki—Chiyo Hazuki—worked with him.”  
    
 “No,” the fourth corrected. “That would take far too long for results.”  
    
 “Adults live in fear,” the first one countered.  
    
 “Iris.” The second one turned to him. “What do you think?”  
    
 Haruka took a short breath. “It would be best to work with an adult psion. There is… no use raising a child who has no place in our society when they become an adult. We have three psions in the central nerve who all show excellent control. Of such, one is Rin Matsuoka’s sister.”  
    
 “Wait!” Rin yelled. “Haru… What the fuck are you saying?”  
    
 “Kou Matsuoka,” Haruka said slowly.  
    
 “Haru!” he yelled again, “If this backfires…!”  
    
 “Rin.” Haruka’s face darkened. “Are you in a romantic relationship with Aiichiro Nitori?”  
    
 Rin rubbed his tongue stud against the roof of his mouth. “Y-Yes.”  
    
 The councillors turned to Haruka, and Haruka nodded. “The Matsuoka siblings share a very similar spirit essence. This is extremely beneficial. Aiichiro Nitori has not been trained to be a mentor, but it is possible he could teach Kou. She will be exposed to danger, as will Nitori, but far less than the other two psions. Aiichiro. Do you think, you can do this?”  
    
 Nitori stared up at Haruka. “I don’t have a choice. Do I?”  
    
 “Hm.” The third one smiled. “He knows the game.”  
    
 “Good,” the first one said with a smile.  
    
 “But!” the fifth one called out. “Are you willing?”  
    
 Nitori nodded. “I can live just fine, every day. I promise. So why do others like me have to suffer? I don’t know anything about The Eye, really… all I know is that this organisation is old enough to run things on the basis that that’s the way it’s always been. Psions are not crazy. Psions are _not_ murderers… In a life where I never had to choke down what you tell young witches, I’ve never had any reason to believe any of that garbage!” He stepped forward. “I’ll prove it.”  
    
 “Strong words,” the third whispered, laughter gone from his voice. “But this could shatter the basis of The Eye. If psions really are… people, what are we going to do with all those locked up? We have thousands chained… We can’t just open the doors.”  
    
 “Well.” The fourth one smiled. “I am the oldest here… I have seen our society cast away prejudice of race and gender, far before the rest of the world did. If this, too, will be a prejudice we cast away… I wish to be on the side bringing forth the change.”  
    
 “Repercussions,” the sixth one reminded them all of his presence when he spoke.  
    
 “You…” Nitori turned to him, glaring. “You can’t be serious?”  
    
 Haruka swallowed hard. “Nitori. Calm down.”  
    
 Nitori bit his lip, looking at Rin.  
    
 “Fuck ‘em.” Rin smirked. “Speak your mind.”  
    
 “Rin,” Haruka warned.  
    
 “No.” Nitori shook his head. “Y-You, you’re all cowards! You would stomach injustice if it means stability? You think shoving all those psions in containment facility is okay, if it means you keep your jobs?”  
    
 “Stupid kid,” the second one spoke up. “Nitori, the act of imprisoning psions was on the same basis as letting you become a mentor—The Willing Sacrifice, improperly named so, let’s us stomach any wrong-doing if as long as the end result is the best choice with what we have. Speaking against the psion containment is speaking against your own freedom.”  
    
 “But.” The first one leaned forward. “They are the same problem. Before… this, the only other way of dealing with psions, except the facilities, was to kill them. We accept the facilities because it is the best choice for our society. By that thought, if Nitori is giving us another option—we have to take it.”  
    
 Haruka nodded. “Then, Nitori will be free, and will personally mentor Kou’s… rehabilitation. From the results, we will make a decision at a later date. Any objections?”  
    
 Rin stepped forward. “Yeah! Here!”  
    
 The first councillor spoke, “None.”  
    
 The second councillor spoke, “None.”  
    
 The third councillor spoke, “None.”  
    
 The fourth councillor spoke, “None.”  
    
 The fifth councillor spoke, “None.”  
    
 The sixth councillor spoke, “None.”  
    
 “We will skip the ceremonial conclusion.” Haruka stood up from his seat. “Then it’s been decided. Dismissed.”  
    
    
 ~ ~ ~  
    
    
 “That’s good news.” Miho grinned as she poured another cup of tea. She grabbed the tray and brought it over to the table. They were in the break room of the senior medical staff. “Everything went well!”  
    
 “Yeah.” Nitori nodded.  
    
 “And they totally bit into it!” Rin laughed. “They honestly believed I didn’t want this to happen.”  
    
 Haruka smiled, taking his cup of tea. “Told you, make them think it’s their idea…”  
    
 “You’re right.” Rin smirked. “This is great.” He kissed the top of Ai’s head. “Gou might actually…” He felt a sob make it’s way up his throat. “M-Man, Haru, I never heard you talk so much.”  
    
 Haruka shrugged.  
    
 Miho smiled. “Haru can play quite the actor, believe it or not.”  
    
 Haruka gave her a glare.  
    
 Miho kept smiling. “Seeing him in meetings, he’s completely different.”  
    
 “Wait.” Nitori looked at Rin. “Sorry, about your sister. Is it Gou, or Kou?”  
    
 “It’s written ‘Gou’,” Miho explained as she handed him a cup. “Pronounced ‘Kou’, except Rin slips up.”  
    
 “Well!” Rin raised his hands in his defense. “She decided she wanted to be ‘Kou’ when she was thirteen or whatever. I was already used to calling her ‘Gou’. Fuck that. Too late to teach a dog new tricks!”  
    
 Nitori nudged him. “I learned how to say RinRin.”  
    
 “Oy!” Rin glared and grabbed his cup of tea, but he smiled eventually. “Shit… she might, she might actually see the world.”  
    
 Nitori looked at down at his cup of black tea. “And I could… I could change the world.”


	19. Breakaway; Step Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. Second last chapter. Next chapter is the epilogue, although that may take me roughly 3-4 days. But, for now, enjoy this one.
> 
> * * *

 Nagisa stared at the white ceiling, pink eyes fixed on a nonexistent spot. He was on a hospital bed; the back was raised to help him sit up. Everything felt… familiar. Nagisa kept staring, until the sound of high heels caught his attention. He looked to the side and saw the woman that had been with him since he woke up. She was walking towards him. He smiled at her.  
   
 “Nagisa.” Miho grabbed a stool and brought it closer before taking a seat. “Do you know my name?”  
   
 Nagisa blinked, trying to think, but he shook his head.  
   
 Miho forced her smile. “Do you know who I am?”  
   
 Nagisa nodded.  
   
 Her smile became real. Miho looked like she wanted to say more, but she glanced to the sliding glass door that opened.  
   
 Nagisa followed her gaze and paused. “Rin.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened and he walked over. “H-Hey buddy…” He grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it closer to the bed. His eyes shook and began to wet as he stared over the blond. “Nagisa… you’re here.”  
   
 Nagisa nodded.  
   
 Rin’s hands began shaking, so he put them on the railing.  
   
 Nagisa noticed the tremors and put his hand over Rin’s, smiling.  
   
 Rin clasped their hands together, bringing it up. He kissed Nagisa’s knuckles and closed his eyes. A tear rolled down his face, but he pretended he was fine. “You have no idea how many times, I just… I dreamed you would… magically come back and it would all be some big joke, you know? Fuck.”  
   
 “Rin,” Nagisa said again.  
   
 Rin looked up. “Yeah?”  
   
 “Rin.” Nagisa smiled. “Rin.”  
   
 Rin squeezed Nagisa’s hand, swallowing hard. “Can he…?” He turned to Miho. “Can he say anything else?”  
   
 Miho moved some hair out of her eyes. She swallowed hard and shifted in her seat. “The fact that he said your name right away was pretty surprising.” She leaned over. “Yes, he’s Rin. Who is Rin?”  
   
 Nagisa blinked and thought about it. “Onii… ham.”  
   
 Rin snorted. “Onii-chan, Nagisa.”  
   
 “Onii-chan.” Nagisa pulled Rin’s hand close to his mouth and kissed it. “Don’t cry.”  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened and he used his other hand to wipe away his tears. “Happy crying.”  
   
 “Happy.” Nagisa nodded. He looked up, past Rin, and grinned. “Happy-chan.” Nagisa frowned, shaking his head. “H… Haru, Haru-chan.”  
   
 Haruka stood by the doorway, carefully taking step in. He breathed sharply and walked over to the bed. “How is he, Sensei?” Never taking his eyes off Nagisa. “Is he…?”  
   
 Miho sighed. “I wish I knew. When he got here, he acted like an infant, just pulling things and throwing things… but now he’s remembering names, and talking… It’s only been a week he’s been here, and his recovery is exceptional. It’s possible, in a few months he might be able to perform higher functions, but…”  
   
 Rin nodded.  
   
 Haruka looked away. “Don’t want to hold on too tightly to hope?”  
   
 Miho closed her eyes.  
   
 Rin sobbed once.  
   
 Nagisa laughed. “Crybaby.”  
   
 “Oy—shut up!”  
   
 Nagisa cackled.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Rin followed Haruka down the hall. He put his hands behind his head and sighed. Rin knew Haru was taking the lead to be nice, letting Rin dry his eyes and pretend he wasn't a little bitch (Rin knew he was, and that was okay, but that didn't mean he liked Haru seeing him cry). They turned the corner. “So, why are they in this part of the Guardian Wing?”  
   
 Haruka looked over his shoulder.  
   
 “I just mean like… aren’t these the rooms used for councillors?”  
   
 “Keeps the media out,” Haruka muttered. “We’ve released no official statement about Nagisa. Only a few people know. We’re not, sure, how to… go about it.”  
   
 Rin stopped. “What do you mean?”  
   
 Haruka’s footsteps turned quiet and he stopped as well. “Just because we have Nagisa here, doesn’t mean he will recover. Sensei… skipped over grim details. He’s had… several organ failures… intensive surgeries; he’s only being kept alive by life support. He’s here, he’s safe, but it’s not smooth sailing.”  
   
 “So.” Rin crossed his arms. “The fact that he came back to life will never make it to the rest of The Eye until you’re sure he doesn’t die, huh?”  
   
 “I know you’re mad. I know you’re worried about Nagisa but…” Haruka looked away. “A lot is at stake here. The High Council needs to be careful how we go about this. Depending on how Aiichiro works with Kou, he could have his freedom. All psions can. If Kou fails to gain control, or if things go wrong, the fact that Ai brought Nagisa back will be solid argument for his freedom. If Nagisa doesn't make it, some people will blame Ai—even if he would have died either way. Politics are… endless.”  
   
 “Then!” Rin’s hands turned to fists, but he un clenched them. His arms hung limp. “Then… what do we do?”  
   
 “We take one thing at a time. Sensei will handle Nagisa. Trust her.” Haruka turned away and began walking. “You’re also forgetting, Nagisa’s not the only one Ai saved.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 The door opened and Sousuke looked up. He was in a larger room than Nagisa, more equipped for living. It had a fridge, a couch, T.V., a kitchen, but the bed was a hospital bed. He scratched the back of his hair as he heard them enter. “It would be polite if you knocked, Iris.”  
   
 Haruka took the tease with a small smile.  
   
 “Sorry not sorry,” Rin mumbled.  
   
 Sousuke walked towards them, looking them over. “Out of the hospital, Rin. Your spirit essence seems normal.”  
   
 Rin smiled. “Yours isn't half bad yourself, Mister Chrysalis.”  
   
 Sousuke looked at his hands. “Not anymore, luckily… Thanks to that boyfriend of yours.”  
   
 “Haha, yeah. He’s rad as fuck.” Rin put a hand on his hip. “He's amazing and just… So… um. Hey. Uh.”  
   
 Haruka looked between them, feeling as though he missed something.  
   
 Sousuke rubbed his neck. “I’m… sorry. About what I did. The uh… blackmail, thing.”  
   
 “Oh.” Rin nodded, rubbing his hands together. “Yeah, about that… uh, um. Nah, wasn’t your fault. It was Nagisa, well… crazy Nagisa.” He paused. “It… was Nagisa, right?”  
   
 “Yeah.” Sousuke’s lips made a thin line as he sighed. “I… The desire was there, from me, but I wouldn’t have ever acted on it.”  
   
 “Oh.” Rin nodded twice. “Okay… um.”  
   
 Haruka glanced at Rin. “Do you want me to go?”  
   
 “No it’s cool!” Rin laughed it off. “Well, I guess.” He looked at Sousuke. “So like, do you have… feelings for me?”  
   
 “Maybe, but not really. Rin… I used to, you know that. It’s nice to imagine what it would have been like, but… I was seventeen when I fell in love with the hot blooded fifteen year old that could kick my ass and was two heads shorter than me.”  
   
 Rin pouted. “Not my fault I hit my growth spurt late…”  
   
 Sousuke laughed. “But that’s the thing, Rin. You’re different now from who you were then, and I’m different now from who I was. I don’t have those feelings anymore.”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin tilted his head. “I don’t get it.”  
   
 Haruka glanced to the side. “I get it. It’s… nice to think about it, but… not the way it worked out. And that’s okay.”  
   
 Rin felt a little awkward between them. “Anyway, so yeah, Sousuke and I did the do, don’t go spreading it around, Haru… Fuck, I still have to tell Ai.”  
   
 Haruka blinked. “Did the do?”  
   
 “Sex,” Sousuke clarified.  
   
 Haruka made an ‘O’ shape with his mouth then nodded.  
   
 “But, Nagisa was the one behind it,” Sousuke went on, “He knew the final battle was near, so he manipulated us into… complications. Which meant whatever was left of my mind at the time had to watch, while Rin felt the guilt of cheating on Ai, and just the whole mix of feelings. Both the positive and the negative ones, he fed on all of it. He was feeding for the fight.”  
   
 Haruka nodded. “Makoto said he heard Nagisa.”  
   
 Sousuke closed his eyes for a moment. “Yeah, he spooked Makoto out for a quick feast.” He walked over to a chair by the glass table and took his seat. “That’s all there is to it, I guess.”  
   
 Haruka opened his mouth to speak, but the door opened.  
   
 “Rin!” Momotarou charged in the room, running full speed—smacking against Rin. Rin toppled over backwards, crashing onto the floor. Momotarou on the other hand tried to catch his footing before he suddenly dropped in someone’s lap.  
   
 Haruka watched it all without even blinking.  
   
 Sousuke raised his hands, wondering why there was some guy on his legs.  
   
 Momotarou looked over his shoulder and he frowned. “You’re…” His frown became intense. He leaned in. “Cute.”  
   
 Rin’s jaw twitched.  
   
 Haruka kept staring.  
   
 Sousuke looked down, to Momotarou’s chest, then back up. “I… Hi.”  
   
 Momotarou whirled and suddenly straddled his hips. “Hi, I’m Momotarou you can call me Momo my favourite hobby is hunting for stag beetles—and the biggest one I caught was eight whole centimeters! My favorite proverb is ‘Even Homer sometimes nods’—even though I’m not really sure what it means I just like the Simpsons—my favorite dish is fried eggs, and—”  
   
 Haruka cleared his throat.  
   
 Rin stood up. “Momo… this is an authorised personnel sector.”  
   
 Momotarou waved them off and put his hands on Sousuke’s shoulders, eyes intensely looking into his. He blinked and looked down. “Boner!”  
   
 Sousuke swallowed hard. “I… have a weakness for… redheads.”  
   
 Haruka closed his eyes and let out a pained noise.  
   
 “Oh my God… Fuck it, I’m out,” Rin muttered. He grabbed Haruka’s arm. “You’re coming.”  
   
 Haruka had no objections.  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 As Rin pulled Haruka out of the room and walked down the hall, he paused.  
   
 Makoto was walking towards them, surprise lighting up his face. “I was just about to see Captain. How is he?”  
   
 Haruka shook his head. “You don’t want to know.”  
   
 Makoto blinked. “What?”  
   
 Rin let go of Haruka and put a hand on his hip. “You don’t want to know.”  
   
 Makoto gave a small nod. “Okay then, anyway… I, I heard about the trial. They’ve told all of us who were involved about what’s happening. I’ve been thinking, Ai’s going to be working here, at the central nerve, with your sister, so does that mean he’s going to need a place nearby?”  
   
 Rin blinked. “Shit, I didn’t even think of that.”  
   
 Haruka smiled at Makoto. “Think of everything…”  
   
 Makoto smiled as well. “Well, um… your place is next to a portal, Rin. You could… ask him to move in with you?”  
   
 “Huh?” Rin nodded. “That would work I guess.”  
   
 Makoto stared. “If you don’t mind?”  
   
 Rin cocked his head to the side. “Spell it out. I’m dense.”  
   
 “Not dense!” Makoto defended, “Just, not… Anyway, it’s just a big step to take, isn’t it? Moving in with Ai.”  
   
 “Sure… I guess. It felt like we were living together when we were at the shrine, though.” Rin’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, it would be his first time leaving home… but, geez, I can only imagine what Rei’s going through right now. I don’t know if Ai leaving is a good idea… Not that we have a choice, but…”  
   
 “There…” Haruka said softly, both of them turning to him. He shifted his weight to another leg. “There is another possibility. The High Council is meeting tomorrow, to discuss our stance on origin houses. If all goes well, we could give the Mahō more autonomy, maybe even a portal.”  
   
 “Oh!” Makoto bounced. “The shrine is at a nexus, so that could work. You guys could stay at the shrine, together, and just warp here when you need be.”  
   
 “Hm, yeah.” Rin nodded. “Even if The Eye helps us, the city still needs a hardcore clean-up, so I should go back there. Also… if Nagisa recovers, I’m sure he’d want to go home easily.”  
   
 “If,” Makoto repeated, voice becoming low.  
   
 Haruka felt a sour taste on his tongue and knew he had to change the topic. “Do you think your shrine can house cats?”  
   
 Makoto looked up. “Oh! Then I can still see them whenever I want!”  
   
 Rin put up both hands. “You gotta ask Rei on that one! Maybe he’s allergic.”  
   
 “Rei and Momo were fine at our house,” Haruka pointed out. “Momo liked them.”  
   
 “Maybe Ai’s allergic.” Rin paused. “Where is Ai?”  
   
 Makoto looked at Haru. “Isn’t he going over some procedures?”  
   
 Rin frowned.  
   
 Haruka nodded. “The Council has asked me to personally oversee Kou’s rehabilitation. I’ve asked some specialists to brief Aiichiro on some of the… dangers. He’s using Sensei’s office until I figure out what we’re going to do as far as paperwork goes.”  
   
 “Right.” Rin nodded. “So, her office?”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 When they got to the office, the double doors opened and Nitori had a hand over his forehead, shaking his head as he was walking out.  
   
 Rin smiled. “Long day?”  
   
 Nitori looked up and grinned. “Yeah. It’s… a lot to take in.”  
   
 Rin walked over and messed up his hair.  
   
 “Hey!” He combed it with his fingers, trying to put it back in place. “I was just going to see you, actually. Um. Well.” Nitori put his hands behind his back. “I’ve been told you haven’t seen your sister since you’ve come back, and she’s worried about you. I’m… going to see her now, actually.”  
   
 Makoto and Haruka shared a look.  
   
 Rin nodded. “Okay… so, you think you can train her?”  
   
 “The training won’t start for another week,” Nitori explained. “One of the doctors suggested we tell her about it and let her get used to the idea. It’s a big shift in her world, so from her perspective it’s… She could easily react badly.”  
   
  Rin bit his lip. “Then I’ll be there, and Haru and Makoto.” He turned around. “Right?”  
   
 Makoto nodded for the both of them. “Of course.”  
   
 Nitori grinned at them and looked up at Rin. “You guys look good, but how is everyone?”  
   
 “Well…” Rin sighed. “No use hiding it… nobody’s sure how to feel about Nagisa right now. He’s making good recovery, but… I mean, there is a chance that it’s not going to be, uh, ‘smooth sailing’, for long. I’m sorry.”  
   
 Nitori’s eyes widened and he looked at Haruka for confirmation.  
   
 Haruka closed his eyes and nodded.  
   
 “But, then…” Nitori shook his head, sniffling once. “How are you guys so calm?”  
   
 “Well.” Makoto rubbed his neck. “We fought Chrysalises. We know how to hide our emotions… We’re calm on the surface, but… Anyway, there is still a chance he might make a full recovery too. Right now, it’s best to just… try not to be invested in it. Push it out of your mind.”  
   
 Nitori swallowed hard, nodding. The advice was cruel, but he knew it was the best choice. “And everyone else?”  
   
 “Sousuke’s doing good.” Rin smiled. “He’s expected to have a full recovery. Oh, um… I have to tell you something, uh.”  
   
 Haruka grabbed Makoto’s arm. “We’ll see you at Kou’s room.”  
   
 Rin nodded in thanks then turned to Ai. “I sort of… When I ran after Sousuke, and went to his apartment, after our fight… I um, we… we ended up sleeping together…” Rin bit his lip. “I mean, Nagisa’s corruption played into the seduction, so like it wasn’t like I was totally myself but… still, it happened. I’m sorry.”  
   
 Nitori sighed, then smiled. “Okay.”  
   
 “Okay?”  
   
 Nitori shrugged. “Sousuke wasn’t Sousuke then, and both of us were just so… emotionally drained at that point. I mean I’m not happy about it, but I don’t blame you. From a logical perspective… it was Nagisa’s Chrysalis, and I was the one that destroyed it. So I got my revenge on that thing for taking my man.”  
   
 Rin grinned and kissed his forehead. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”  
   
 Nitori hugged Rin’s arm and began walking.  
   
 Rin walked as well. “Speaking of sex and Sousuke, I think Momo’s got a thing for him.”  
   
 “Momo?” Nitori shook his head. “Oh God… Well, let them have their fun. H-How’s… Rei?”  
   
 “I don’t know, actually.” Rin pointed left as they had to turn the corner. “I hope he’s doing okay.”  
   
 “Me too.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Gou walked over to the low table at the centre of her room. It lit up with a message. She sat on her knees on a cushion and read the notification. “Visitor?” She just finished reading it when the door opened. “Haru! Makoto!” When the two of them walked in, her eyes widened. “Rin?” She got up and ran towards him. “Rin!”  
   
 “Hey!” Rin caught her in a hug, squeezing her close. “Hey… Shit, I missed you.”  
   
 Gou pulled away, eyes softening. “I heard about what happened…” She shook her head. “Onii-chan…”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Rin nodded. “There’s no more fighting.”  
   
 Gou, not convinced, turned to Haruka.  
   
 Haruka nodded.  
   
 Gou, not convinced, turned to Makoto.  
   
 Makoto nodded with a smile.  
   
 Gou was satisfied as her eyes drifted to the fourth person. “Oh.” She offered her hand. “I’m Kou.”  
   
 Nitori smiled and took it gently. “Aiichiro.”  
   
 Gou’s eyes widened and she backed away. A sharp noise escaped her mouth. She stared at her hand, feeling the aftershocks of the tingle. “Y-You… you’re like… me?”  
   
  “I am.” Nitori glanced at Rin, then back to her. “I am a psion who is in complete control of my powers.”  
   
 Gou backed away. “What’s going on?”  
   
 Haruka removed his mantle, letting it fall to the floor. “Aiichiro Nitori will teach you to control your abilities.”  
   
 Rin took a step forward and cupped her face with one hand. “Please, Gou, listen to me.” He took a deep breath. “The thing is, Ai’s in danger… he is a psion who has been trained to be in control. He doesn’t need to be contained. He’s totally fine, and even Haru thinks so… but he’s, he’s about to lose his whole life for no reason. Gou, Kou, whatever, please, please, he’s… he’s so important to me, so please. This is the only thing we can do.”  
   
 Gou hugged her other arm and shook her head. “But… No, I have to suppress my energy, not try to control it.” She turned around and walked to the other side of the room. “I can’t, Rin. I’m sorry! What happens if… what happens if I lose control?” She turned around, feeling red-pink crackles of lightning around her. “See? It’s already happening!”  
   
 Nitori walked between Rin and her. “It’s okay, Kou. Attack me.”  
   
 Gou’s eyes widened.  
   
 Rin scowled. “Ai!”  
   
 Haruka bit his lip. “Nitori…”  
   
 “It’s okay.” Nitori smiled. “The worst case scenario is you somehow hurting me, right? But that’s the thing, it won’t hurt me at all. I can prove it to you, as my mentor proved it to me.”  
   
 Gou blinked, looking at her hand. She took a breath before closing her eyes. Her red-pink energy condensed in her hands and she looked up. “A-Are you sure?”  
   
 “I am.”  
   
 Gou swallowed hard and aimed her hand forward, using her other hand to grab her wrist. She opened the space between her legs and locked her feet on the ground. “Here goes…”  
   
 The blast wave was wide and growing outwards from her as it charged forward.  
   
 Nitori put one shoulder in front of the other. As the blast wave as about to hit him, he elbowed it—shattering it like glass.  
   
 The broken blast wave had cracked in windows of rose and vermillion before they dissolved into the air.  
   
 Gou stared, eyes wide.  
   
 “Kou, listen to me.” Nitori walked towards her. “I know it’s scary when you shake furniture or break plates, or maybe even push someone over… but when it comes to witches who are trained for combat, you need to practice before you can actually hurt them. It can be scary, but it’s like you’re… an elementalist who can’t make a fireball yet. You can’t actually cause serious trouble.”  
   
 Gou stared. “What?”  
   
 “For psions, emotions make spirit essence strong,” Nitori went on, “When you’re upset or scared, you’ll become a lot stronger. Your spells will be wider, sporadic, they’ll have more force, and be a lot harder to control. That's scary, and it scares you more. But it’s okay. There’s nothing to be scared of. I know what it’s like to be in your position… I’ll help you. You have to keep calm and think rationally, which is so much easier said than done, I know… and, I know how easy it is to feel alone, but… trust me, I’ve lived through this.” He offered a smile. “If you're strong enough to believe me, then please. I understand you.”  
   
 Gou didn’t move for two full minutes before she took a small step forward. “Okay.”  
   
 Nitori grinned. “And, if we do this… there might be a day that no psion has to be prosecuted.”  
   
 “Wh-What?”  
   
 “We’ll take one thing at a time. We’ll go at whatever pace you need.” Nitori took her hands in his. “We have a lot to gain, though. We could prove that psions aren’t horrible people by nature. We're not.”  
   
 “Then…” Gou nodded, face becoming stern, before a gentle smile slipped onto her visage. “L-Let’s do it.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 “Nagisa,” Rei whispered.  
   
 Nagisa sat in his lap. After much fussing and complaining and whining, the medical staff let Rei sit on the hospital bed so Nagisa could sit in his lap. Although, Nagisa relaxed and fell asleep shortly after.  
   
 The medical staff had left, giving them a moment.  
   
 Rei kissed his head and held him tight. His eyes were puffy and red; if he hadn’t run out of tears, he would have probably still been crying.  
   
 Miho walked over to him, clipboard in hands. They had closed the blinds, and only slim slivers of light made their way into the room. “Ryugazaki-kun…” She turned to him. “It’s possible, he may never recover. For someone as emotionally involved in this as you are… I have to make this clear to you.”  
   
 “Even so…” Rei smiled. “I’ll be by his side, and I’ll still love him… no matter what.”  
   
 Miho nodded once and left the room.  
   
 Rei pulled Nagisa closer and pushed his head into that blond hair. “Nagisa…”


	20. Epilogue, and a Latte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the epilogue. Sorry for the delay, but hopefully it will be worth the wait. On the bright side, Of Fire and Mind broke 3,000 hits, 200 kudos, and 250 comments~! Thank you for all the support through this project. Updating every two days was mad... but I did it to challenge myself, and challenge completed. Don't forget you can subscribe to me, <3\. If you want to know what I'll be doing: I'll be finishing an SNK fic, which only has six chapters left, and then I'll be going back to Free! for NaNoWriMo. But enough about me, on with the epilogue.
> 
> Please. Enjoy!
> 
> * * *

 “Do you need a review?”  
   
 “Um.” Gou chuckled, somewhat nervously. “Sure.”  
   
 Nitori’s smile was soft. He nodded.  
   
 Aiichiro was wearing a kimono; a proper one, doubled layered because of the cold of winter. It was for ceremonial purposes, but the colour he had free reign over; black on the outside, and red on the inside… He may or may not chose it for Rin. Gou had worn a yukata, a single layered kimono since the room was quite warm. Rin just wore a pair of black skinny jeans, a maroon shirt, and a black hoodie, zipped up halfway. Rin had also had a much thicker jacket to fight off snow, but took it off for the ceremony.  
   
 The three of them sat cross legged. Nitori was at the centre of the room, sitting right in front of the altar, while Rin and Gou sat next to one another, facing him.  
   
 Rin glanced up, to the roof.  
   
 The shrine was a pyramid in shape, but with a flat top. There, there was a skylight window, enchanted; as the daylight poured in from the top, it was warped and coloured blue, transformed into gentle moonlight that brought the chill of the night.  
   
 Fighting against the cold were rows of candles along the walls and down the aisles. Blue candles for relaxation, healing, and peace. Indigo for healing as well, but also brought forth meditation. There was pink—which was mainly for permanent love (as opposed to red, which was for more passionate love)—but Nitori said they were totally for compassion and gentleness.  
   
 And Rin totally believed him of course, yep.  
   
 Each candle, though, had a warm orange glow which seemed far stronger in the blue-white moonlight.  
   
 “Just keep your back straight, and your hands on your knees.” Nitori pointed his palms to the ceiling. “You can put them face up, face down, together in your lap… it doesn’t matter how your hands are. As long as you’re comfortable. Tilt your head forward, just a bit.”  
   
 Gou nodded and did as she was told. “This is… good?”  
   
 “Yeah. But your brother’s slouching.”  
   
 Rin laughed and straightened his back. “Better?”  
   
 Nitori nodded, making a visible effort to hide his smile. “Now, just take a moment to appreciate where you are in the physical world. Take a moment to feel your hands against your lap, your feet against your knee, your socks against your feet. The way your shirt hangs on your shoulders, your pants. The way your hair feels against your head. Take the time to focus on every aspect of you.”  
   
 Gou closed her eyes.  
   
 Rin kept his open, glancing to his lap.  
   
 “Whether you believe the world started with an explosion, or by some deity, we know that no atom has ever been added to the universe. Every molecule has been here since the beginning of time. A different configuration, of course, but your body is made of atoms as old as existence itself. You are a piece of the universe.” He let that sink in before he spoke again, “Do you have a mantra?”  
   
 Gou opened her eyes. “Yes.”  
   
 Rin couldn’t deny his curiosity. Ai had told them that his own word was ‘Ruach’, the Hebrew word for breath, wind, spirit. Nitori explained that he used that word to imagine the wind move away thoughts. Rin, himself, used the Sanskrit word, ‘Agni’. It also served as the name of the Hindu god of fire. He always imagined his worries flickering away to flames and ash, leaving him.  
   
 Gou’s mantra word, however, was a mystery to him.  
   
 Rin asked once, and she admitted she would rather keep to herself. Rin was burning with curiosity, but he respected her privacy.  
   
 “Remember,” Nitori spoke up. “Your job isn’t to deny or push away thoughts, but just to let them go. Hearts beat, lungs breathe, minds think. That’s their job. Sometimes your mind will wander to happy thoughts, sometimes to negative thoughts; sometimes you will wander to thoughts about the future or imagination, and other times you will focus on the physical feeling. Let your mind wander. Accept wherever it goes. Never deny, never repress. But, notice where it wandered, then let go, and bring it back to your mantra. Let your mind rest on your mantra.”  
   
 Gou nodded.  
   
 It had taken Rin a few times to get used to it. The meditation he was used to involved counting; which, according to Nitori, was neither better nor worse, but just different.  
   
 “I’m ready,” Gou said softly.  
   
 Nitori looked down. In front of each of them was a candle, a herb, a bowl of water, and sea salt crystals. Nitori grabbed the herb, rosemary, and let it burn in the candle.  
   
 Rin and Gou did the same.  
   
 When Nitori dropped the burning herb in the bowl of water, the other’s did too. He whisked his fingers through the smoke: Air. He tapped the salt crystals, coloured a dusty orange by being mixed with cinnamon: Earth. He brought his finger to the bowl: Water. Then, he sniffed the candle: Fire. As the smoke moved between his fingers, it returned him to air, and the four elements worked in harmony. Purified, his spirit essence was centralised and focused.  
   
 Rin and Gou did the same. Gou had been a little afraid of snuffing the candle at first, but seeing her brother do it like a boss, she rose to the occasion and snuffed it with ease.  
   
 Nitori made eye contact with Gou, then Rin, and nodded. “Let’s begin.”  
   
 They closed their eyes.  
   
 Rin took a deep breath and felt his body relax.  
   
 It had been three months since they defeated the class thirteen Chrysalis. Three months… it had felt like both forever and no time at all. His relationship with Nitori had gone steady. Rin did have a fear that they had fallen for each other because their lives had been tied together by stressful events. He had the fear that they had come together because they mistook comfort for love. But, in reality, he had nothing to worry about. He kept discovering new things about Ai, and Ai kept discovering new things about him. It gave him a reason to wake up every morning, and…  
   
  _Agni._  
   
 Rin let his mind return to the mantra, resting. His mind was alert, for meditation was not the same as a nap; alert, but not stressed.  
   
 Living at the shrine was fun, though. He did also have his apartment where he grew up, and… it was lonely. Back then, though, he didn’t have anyone. He thought about Haruka calling him, telling him how Makoto pitied him… Rin was upset at the time, but looking back… Maybe it was something he needed to hear.  
   
  _Agni._  
   
 Makoto visited the shrine every once in a while. It was easy with their portals. Haruka had built both his own and the shrine’s portals, so they could warp directly to one another (rather than going to the central nerve then the next destination). Makoto, however, usually spent most of his time at the shrine with the cats.  
   
 Rin’s friendship with Haruka was mostly the same. They stopped fighting, luckily, and; finally, it was easier to breathe around one another. Not perfect, but Rin enjoyed seeing Haru. Haruka came over often, too… For many reasons. Some personal. Some political. But Rin didn’t hold that against him anymore. He knew Haru was just trying to do what was right… and, Rin acknowledged that sometimes there was no ‘right’ answer in life. What Haru had on his shoulders…  
   
  _Agni._  
   
 The shrine was nice, though.  
   
 Could definitely use a renovation.  
   
 Get some stylish roof tiles, maybe?  
   
  _Agni._  
   
 Momotarou still cooked every night. He explained it was like meditation for him, a process he went through. He enjoyed it, Rin realised. Everyone chipped in and helped every now and then, but he took charge when it came to food. He was taking online courses to finish high school from the shrine, since he was only seventeen now. Despite being a huge dork, Rin was surprised to see Momo actually had amazing grades.  
   
 Miho had also taken interest in his abilities. For being so young and untrained, he was quite a powerful witch. She visited every now and then, giving him exercises he could do to power up his shields and restorative spells. His sensory skills were solid on their own. Miho was doing okay, too. Swamped under work, but she was enjoying it. She really did love her job.  
   
 Rei was watching over the shrine. Being in constant contact with Haru luckily brought origin houses to the forefront of the High Council’s discussions. As far as he was doing with—  
   
 The door opened.  
   
 “Hey!” someone called out, “You guys aren’t done yet?”  
   
 Gou smiled, keeping her eyes closed.  
   
 Nitori pushed it out of his mind.  
   
 Rin opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder. “We’re meditating, dumbass. Don’t interrupt.”  
   
 “Meditating?” Nagisa leaned on the doorframe. “What a bunch of grannies…”  
   
 “Hey!” Rin got up and turned around. “What did you call me?”  
   
 Nagisa grinned wide. “Gra-ah-ah-anies!”  
   
 “Oy you little…” Rin charged at him.  
   
 Nagisa screamed, throwing his arms up, flailing as he ran out.  
   
 “I’m going to kill you, brat!”  
   
 Nagisa jumped and landed at the bottom of the steps. He ran across the courtyard, giggling wildly.  
   
 Rin felt the rush of winter’s chill, but ignored it. He had a target and he was going to have him executed.  
   
 Nagisa ran towards the main building, but his eyes caught sight of someone just outside. “Haru-chan!” He grabbed Haru’s cloak and whirled him around to hide behind him.  
   
 Rin slowed down and glared at Haru. “Move!”  
   
 Haruka blinked. “’m not involved.”  
   
 Nagisa pressed his head against Haru’s back. “Save me!”  
   
 Haruka just blinked once more before his form broke into swishes of water, dissipating.  
   
 “Damnit Haru-chan!” Nagisa turned and ran. “Useless!”  
   
 Rin chased after him. As they neared the building, the door opened and someone stepped out. Rin paused, while Nagisa tackle hugged him.  
   
 Sousuke yelped. “Easy… geez.” He ruffled Nagisa’s hair and sighed.  
   
 Rin breathed on his fingers to warm them, then rubbed his hands together. “You little brat.”  
   
 Nagisa cackled before realising someone was behind Sousuke. “Rei-chan!” He broke away from Sousuke and put his hands up in front of his chest. “Rin’s trying to kill me. You won’t let him kill your boyfriend, will you?”  
   
  Rei sighed, stepping out. He brought his hand up… then flicked Nagisa’s forehead.  
   
 “Ow!” Nagisa put both his hands against his head. “Rei!”  
   
 Rei actually smiled. “If Rin wants to kill you, you probably do deserve it.” He hooked an arm around Nagisa’s waist and pulled him close, leaning over to kiss the top of his head.  
   
 Nagisa smiled and wrapped his arms around Rei.  
   
 Rei pulled him closer and turned to Rin. “Is Nanase here?”  
   
 Sousuke nodded. “Yeah, the three of us came to get you.”  
   
 Rin looked left, then right. “Three?”  
   
 On the steps, Makoto gasped. “I missed you too!” He kissed each cat twice.  
   
 Strands of water came together; Haruka reformed. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Sorry.” He reached in his pocket and handed over a card to Rin. “Here.”  
   
 Rin took the day pass and grinned. “Thanks!”  
   
 “Sensei did the work. I just delivered.” Haruka shrugged. “Everyone good to go?”  
   
 “Gou and Ai are still meditating,” Rin said as he crossed his arms, shivering. “Should be another twenty minutes or something.”  
   
 Rei nodded. “Why don’t we go inside for some tea?”  
   
 Sousuke shrugged. “I don’t drink tea, but sure.”  
   
 Makoto approached them with a frown. “Sousuke, accept their hospitality.”  
   
 “Oops.” Nagisa stuck his tongue out. “Scolded!”  
   
 “Nagisa,” Makoto used his mother-hen voice and Nagisa winced.  
   
 Haruka closed his eyes and shook his head, small smile on his lips.  
   
 “Okay okay.” Rin rolled his eyes. “Let’s just go inside.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Momotarou lifted the teapot and poured the rich green tea into six small tea bowls. He put the teapot on the tray, and then the special drink. He lifted the tray and walked to the low table in the living room where everyone was chatting. Sousuke shifted to give him room, and Momotarou smiled as he put the tray down.  
   
 “Huh?” Nagisa gasped. “What’s that one?”  
   
 “Hot cocoa.” Momotarou grabbed the cup, which had a thin layer of foam and marshmallows in it, and he gave it to Sousuke. “S-Since you uh, don’t drink tea.”  
   
 Sousuke grinned. “Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.”  
   
 Momotarou grinned and took a seat next to him, scratching the back of his head as he mumbled something.  
   
 “No fair,” Nagisa whined. “I want special treatment too…”  
   
 “Well.” Sousuke took the cup and tasted it. “I am better than you.”  
   
 Nagisa’s jaw dropped. “No you’re not! You’re not the one Momo asked how anal works!”  
   
 Sousuke spat his drink out.  
   
 Momotarou’s cheeks burned. “Shut up!” He grabbed a cushion and threw it over the table.  
   
 “Ngwhaaah!” Nagisa was hit in the face and he fell over.  
   
 “Oy!” Rin grabbed a napkin and helped clean up. “Don’t be so loud, you butts.”  
   
 Haruka let himself smile as he sipped his tea. “How… are you?”  
   
 Nagisa sat up again. “Good!”  
   
 Makoto, who had all the cats in his lap, looked up. “Any progress on spells?”  
   
 Nagisa shook his head. “Still can’t cast anything… it’s weird.”  
   
 “I had the same issue at first,” Sousuke admitted. “Give it time and keep doing Sensei’s exercises.”  
   
 Nagisa pouted. “Yours only lasted two weeks, though.”  
   
 “It’ll take longer for you since you were corrupt longer,” Sousuke reminded. “Just keep at it.”  
   
 “I guess…” Nagisa sighed. “It’s just annoying.”  
   
 Rei smiled as he sipped his tea. “I’m just… glad to have you back.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Rin nodded. “Although he’s like… twice the handful I remember him being.”  
   
 Makoto burst out laughing while Haruka snorted.  
   
 “Hey!” Nagisa pouted again.  
   
 “It’s true, though.” Rin glanced to Haru. “How’s work?”  
   
 “Decent,” he admitted. “Same old. Easier. Makoto’s a better housewife with only two cats. Less stress.”  
   
 “For both of us.” Makoto chuckled. “Yeah, we have a lot more time for each other now.”  
   
 Haruka leaned over and kissed his cheek.  
   
 Makoto blushed and sipped his tea.  
   
 Rin glanced at Sousuke. “You?”  
   
 “I’m alright.” Sousuke shrugged. “I’m still going to therapy, but only once a month. Sensei says it won’t be long until they’re going to stop checking me out. Supposedly I’m fine now, but monitoring me for safety measures. Fine by me. I’m not taking any chances.”  
   
 “Mister Responsible,” Rin muttered.  
   
 “Well.” Sousuke shrugged. “Nagisa’s recovery is supposed to mirror mine, just at a much slower rate, right? Giving them as much information as I can only helps him.”  
   
 “I’m thankful,” Rei admitted.  
   
 “Rei-chan! Just say ‘thank you’ like a normal person, bonus points if you say ‘thanks’.”  
   
 “I have my own speech pattern,” Rei defended, huffing as he crossed his arms.  
   
 Makoto smiled at them but glanced back to Sousuke. “Are you thinking about going back to teaching after?”  
   
 “Hm.” Sousuke shrugged. “I’ve thought about it, but… for the next few months, I kind of want to do nothing. Just appreciate life. I’ve got enough savings to retire now, really. Maybe later, but not now.”  
   
 “Oh.” Momotarou bounced in his seat, eyes lighting up. “Then you could, uh, visit the shrine more often!”  
   
 Sousuke blushed—Sousuke Yamazaki actually blushed—as he nodded.  
   
 Rin did his best to hide his smile. Sousuke had once told him that he wasn’t interested in dating some kid… but Rin didn’t know for sure if that was the case anymore. Whenever Sousuke did visit the shrine, Rin caught the way those teal-blue eyes lingered on Momotarou. They were, dare Rin think about it, actually kind of cute together. They had a bit of a yin and yang dynamic going on, but they seemed to work well.  
   
 Sousuke liked his energy.  
   
 One thing Ai pointed out to him, which pretty much changed Rin’s perspective on everything, was that Sousuke somehow had the power to make Momotarou Mikoshiba nervous. When Rin thought back to how Momo dropped in Sousuke’s lap… that was fun and meaningless. But now, when they looked at each other, when small stutters worked their way into voices, when heat warmed their cheeks, or when excitement glistened in their eyes…  
   
 “Sorry.”  
   
 They all turned.  
   
 Nitori was still in his kimono and he bowed once. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting.”  
   
 Makoto stood up and the cats leapt off his lap. “Of course not.”  
   
 Gou walked over and gave him a hug.  
   
 Makoto squeezed her before they let go and sat next to each other. The cats jumped back in his lap.  
   
 Nitori took a seat next to Rin and they shared eye contact for a moment, before they smiled and shared a quick laugh.  
   
 Rei looked around. “What time is it?”  
   
 Nagisa pulled out his pink phone. “Four-thirty.”  
   
 “It’s summer on the island,” Haruka muttered. “Days are longer, so we have plenty of time.”  
   
 Momotarou grinned. “I’m not gonna lie, I love winter but, I want to get to the other hemisphere as fast as I can.”  
   
 Nitori laughed and looked at his kimono. “We should get changed then.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “Me too.”  
   
 “Oh,” Makoto spoke up. “Bring a heavy jacket. It’s hot there, but it’ll be night when you guys come back.”  
   
 “Yeah yeah, you worrywart.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Over the three months, Rin and Ai moved into Ai’s room. Rin stripped, comfortable with nudity in front of his boyfriend, and grabbed his bathing suit and something to wear over it. He grabbed a shirt and a towel, and glanced over to Nitori who was still wearing his kimono. “Need help?”  
   
 “Um… n-no.”  
   
 “What is it, bud?”  
   
 Nitori smiled, but his smile faltered then faded. “I don’t know if I should go…”  
   
 “Why not?” Rin blinked. “You know Gou wants you there. She really likes you.”  
   
 “Well, yeah, but…”  
   
 “I told you, Ai. Going to the beach with all of us is her dream. That means you too.”  
   
 “I know that.”  
   
 “It’s important to her.”  
   
 “I know, Rin.”  
   
 “Then what is it?”  
   
 “Well…” Nitori undid his kimono and let it pool at his feet. Over his chest and shoulders…  
   
 Teeth marks.  
   
 Bruises.  
   
 Hickeys.  
   
 Love bites.  
   
 “Oh. Shit.” Rin licked his sharp teeth and smirked. “Guess I kind of overdid it, huh?”  
   
 “I like it, in bed, but…” Nitori paled. “Um… Do they look bad?”  
   
 “They’re hot as fuck.”  
   
 He blinked. “Really?”  
   
 “Oh yeah.” Rin walked over and kissed his neck, giving a light scrape of teeth.  
   
 Nitori shivered. His face turned red but… “Okay, let’s go.”  
   
 “You know, I’d rather add a few more before we—”  
   
 “Tonight.” Nitori grinned. “Just not now, okay?”  
   
 “Okay, okay.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Makoto gasped. “Ai!” He looked at him. “You have bruises all over you!”  
   
 Haruka just stared, blinking once. His blue eyes shifted to Rin. “Really?”  
   
 Rin just snickered, throwing an arm around his boyfriend. “Sorry.”  
   
 Nitori put his hands together, smiling. They had moved to Haru and Makoto’s island and everyone had gotten in their swim suits… which, for Nitori… He wore his love bites proudly, sort of. It was embarrassing, but he held his chin up. Rin was getting a kick out of it, obviously. And if Rin was happy, it was easy for Ai to be relaxed. His hickeys had flourished all kinds of colours—dark purple, blue, yellow, some heated orange by red skin. Teeth marks lined his body, but he didn’t mind.  
   
 “Wow!” Nagisa clapped several times as he looked over Nitori’s body. “You’ve got them on your feet, on your ankles. Knees!” He pointed. “Thighs! All over your bathing suit area too, I bet! Your waist, tummy!” He kept pointing. “Chest, both your shoulders, all over your arms! On your neck!” Nagisa hopped around. “Some on your back too! Wow, Rin, you’re so thorough!”  
   
 Nitori’s cheeks flushed.  
   
 “Nagisa!” Rei pulled him back. Nagisa probably would have fought back if he didn’t enjoy Rei’s arm around him so much.  
   
 “Hey now.” Sousuke chuckled. “Let’s not make anyone uncomfortable. We’re here for Kou, after all… where is she?”  
   
 “I told you!” Momotarou screamed from several feet away. “Didn’t I?”  
   
 “Yes!” Gou gasped, covering her eyes with her hands. “I shouldn’t…” She parted her fingers and looked through them. “But the muscles!”  
   
 Momotarou put both hands against his heart. “I know, right!?”  
   
 Rin’s right eyebrow, the one with his piercing, twitched. “Oy!” His hands turned to fists. “Are you telling me I’ve spent years traumatised and avoiding the beach because you wanted to see some fucking muscles!?”  
   
 Gou’s cheeks flushed and she clasped her hands together. She hopped on one leg and her eyes sparkled.  
   
 “Uh, Ai.” Makoto turned to him. “Her spirit essence is acting up.”  
   
 “It’s fine,” Nitori said with a smile. “She’s still harmless.”  
   
 Nagisa decided to take the opportunity to tug at Rei’s waistband and then let go, letting it snap against his hip.  
   
 “Nagisa!”  
   
 Nagisa snickered and jumped up.  
   
 Rei sputtered and somehow caught him bridal style. “Nagisa…”  
   
 Nagisa kissed the corner of his mouth and nuzzled his cheek.  
   
 Rei’s cheeks heated up ever so slightly, before he smiled. And that smile was proof his heart was practically melting.  
   
 Makoto grinned, but looked to the side. “Hey, Haru… Haru?” He looked left, then right. “Haru?”  
   
 There was splashing behind them.  
   
 They turned to see Haru swimming in the ocean.  
   
 Makoto sighed. “Oh well, I’m surprised he waited this long. I’m going to join him.” He ran down to the water.  
   
 “Rei-chan.” Nagisa grinned and hopped off his arms. “Build a sand castle with me!” He tugged Rei’s wrist and pulled him away.  
   
 Gou blinked, finally out of her daze. “Sand castle? I want to build one!”  
   
 “Oh!” Momotarou bounced up and down. “Let’s see which team can make the best sand castle!”  
   
 “Oh, you’re on!” Nagisa cackled. “Rei, use your calculations!”  
   
 Rei adjusted his glasses. “Of course!”  
   
 “Sousuke!” Momo turned around. “You’re on our team!”  
   
 Sousuke blinked. He shrugged and sighed. “Sure.”  
   
 As the five of them got to work, and the two others swam in the ocean, it left Rin and Nitori together. Rin put an arm around Ai and pulled him close.  
   
 Nitori smiled and kissed his side. “Wanna go in the water?”  
   
 “Yeah.”  
   
   
 Rin dived to the deep end. While Nitori also knew how to breathe underwater, it was obvious he wasn’t an expert at the spell like Rin was. Rin just grinned and put their lips together to give him more oxygen.  
   
 Nitori grinned and turned it into a kiss.  
   
 Rin chuckled and scraped his teeth along Ai’s lower lip. That got him a nudge in the stomach, but he kept grinning.  
   
 Nitori swam away, twirling once in the water.  
   
 Rin drifted towards him, wrapping his arms tight around his boyfriend.  
   
 Nitori closed his eyes, leaning into Rin. He rested his forehead against his shoulder and wrapped his arms around his neck. He opened his eyes and moved his head back, seeing those red eyes look right at him. He kissed Rin one more time before breaking away and swimming to the surface.  
   
 Rin followed and took a deep breath. “Hey, wanna prank Haru?”  
   
 Curiosity danced in Nitori’s eyes, but he shook his head. “Of course not.”  
   
 “Drop the innocent act, Ai; I know you do.”  
   
 Mischief flared through him, and Nitori gave a shy smile. “O-Okay… let’s do it!”  
   
   
 Haruka was on his back, floating in the water. He looked up at the sky and felt… at peace. He didn’t know what the future held, but… to be brutally honest, as long as he had Makoto as his grounding rod, no storm could rock his boat. He closed his eyes, sensing where Makoto was. He felt his presence on the beach. He considered going to bother him for a bit, but he decided he wanted five more minutes with the water first.  
   
 It was only then he felt someone else’s presence.  
   
 His eyes snapped open.  
   
 Haruka whirled his body upright, but two arms hooked his shoulders. “What?”  
   
 Rin popped in front of him and blasted a wave of water against his face.  
   
 Haruka spat out water and glared. “Hey!”  
   
 Nitori, the one holding him in place, quickly retreated in a fit of giggles, while Rin kept splashing him, huge smile on his face.  
   
 Haruka growled and lowered his head.  
   
 “Uh…” Nitori grabbed Rin’s arm. “Rin.”  
   
 Rin looked down.  
   
 The water level was going down.  
   
 Haruka’s eyes opened, glowing radiant blue. He lifted off the ground and called upon his spirit essence. “You…” The water swirled into a sphere behind him, gaining mass and force at an exponential rate. “I call you forth…” The sky blackened. “Neptune!”  
   
 “Oh fuck.” Rin paled as the clouds blocked out the sun.  
   
 “Rin… This…” Nitori’s eyes softened. “Is the end for us.”  
   
 Rin cupped his face. “I’ll see you… on the other side.”  
   
 Haruka’s globe of water was the size of a mountain. His eyes burned with blue fire, leaking his enraged mana.  
   
 “Haruka!”  
   
 Haruka glanced to the side.  
   
 Makoto stood with both hands on his hip. “Haru,” he was using his mother-hen voice, “Put the ocean down.”  
   
 Haruka stared at him.  
   
 Makoto pursed his lips and gave him the signature ‘Mom is mad’ look.  
   
 Haruka sighed and dropped the ocean. The water crashed down in a surge, so he waited for it to get relatively calm before he fell. He landed on the water and walked along its surface towards the shore. He whipped his hand.  
   
 A stream of water slapped Rin across the face.  
   
 “Oy!”  
   
 “Your boyfriend too,” Haruka muttered before he moved his hand again.  
   
 Nitori was bitchslapped by the ocean. “Worth it…”  
   
 Rin cackled. “Did you see the look on his face?”  
   
 Nitori giggled and nodded.  
   
 Haruka turned to the rest of them and paused.  
   
 “Ah.” Makoto put an arm around Haru and pulled him close. “What am I going to do with you?”  
   
 Haruka graced his boyfriend with one of his rare smiles before kissing his cheek.  
   
 Makoto laughed and kissed him.  
   
 Haruka smiled into the kiss, but broke away, glancing to the four people on the shore.  
   
 Between Rei and Nagisa was not a sand castle… it was a sand empire. Like a pyramid, each floor was smaller than the one under it, and it was eight stories high.  
   
 Rin blinked. “Holy shit. How did you pull that off?”  
   
 “My calculations!” Rei adjusted his glasses and they reflected the sunlight in a quick flash. “Naturally.”  
   
 “Ours is kinda cool too…” Momo shrugged.  
   
 It was just a normal castle. It was pretty impressive, but it paled compared to Rei and Nagisa’s.  
   
 “We could have done something cool like that,” Gou said as she crossed her arms, “But some people started making out and left me to do the work alone!”  
   
 “Hey!” Momotarou didn’t have a good reply, so he settled for: “Shut up!”  
   
 Nitori shook his head, but paused. “Where’s Sousuke?”  
   
 Nagisa looked up. “He went to get Miss Ama-chan!”  
   
 As if on cue, a blue portal whirled open and two people walked out carrying trays of drinks. Miho had her swim suit underneath a long thin sweater. “Ah, it’s so nice and warm here!” She raised the tray. “We got some refreshments.”  
   
 “Yep.” Sousuke smiled. “Strawberry and sakura lattes, iced, all around.”  
   
 Nagisa gasped and flew across time and space to grab two. “Rei I can have yours too, right?”  
   
 Rei stood up and counted the amount of cups. “You have one extra.”  
   
 Sousuke chuckled and nodded. “We knew he would do that.”  
   
 Rei tried to hide his smile, but it eventually shined through. He grabbed two and offered one to Gou behind him.  
   
 “Thank you.” She smiled and sipped it. “Oh!” She bounced. “This is good!”  
   
 “Yeah!” Nagisa grinned. “It’s my favourite!”  
   
 The others took theirs as well.  
   
 Makoto made sure everyone had one before he took his. “They’re all the same?”  
   
 “Yes.” Miho nodded. “It’s symbolic, for Nagisa.”  
   
 “Uh.” Sousuke frowned. “Didn’t you say it was because you didn’t want to remember ten orders?”  
   
 Miho turned to him, closed her eyes, and smiled. “Sousuke-kun.”  
   
 “Aha, totally just uh kidding.” Sousuke had no intention of being a frog for three days. He opened his palm and a black parasol shot out. “Here you go.”  
   
 Miho took the peace offering and smiled. She rested the parasol on her shoulder and looked them over. Her eyes widened. “Oh, Ai-kun…”  
   
 “Ai-chan,” Nagisa corrected.  
   
 She stepped forward. “You have bruises all over you.”  
   
 Nitori forced a smile. “W-Well, R-Rin…”  
   
 Rin grinned, showing off his teeth.  
   
 “Oh my…” She squeezed her parasol. “Students, they just… grow up so fast…”  
   
 “Aha.” Makoto laughed. “We really do, right Haru?” He looked to his side. “Not again…” He looked behind him to see Haruka in the water, swimming in solitude. “Ah whatever. I’ll get us some patio chairs. The sun’s going to go down soon—it’s gorgeous over the water, you have to see it!”  
   
 Nitori smiled. “I’ll help.”  
   
 “Oh, no it’s okay!” Makoto shook his head. “You’re all guest!”  
   
 “But Makoto.” Ai sipped his drink. “We’re all holding lattes, so it’ll be easier if I do it with telekinesis.”  
   
 “Hm.” Momotarou smiled. “He has a good argument there, Makoto.”  
   
 Makoto paused, but eventually chuckled. “You do.”  
   
 Gou nudged Nitori’s arm softly. “Telekinesis? Can I learn that?”  
   
 “It’s pretty tricky,” Nitori admitted, “But I don’t see why not.”  
   
   
 Eventually Nitori got the patio chairs set up and they all spent another couple hours chatting the night away. Rin got up at one point to stretch his legs. He walked along the shore, watching the distance. Before, the brilliant teal water licked at the sand and then retreated, over and over. With the sun setting over the horizon, the water burned into vermilions of red. The sky came alive as well, and Rin snorted at how he thought it was actually kinda cool.  
   
 Ah who was he kidding?  
   
 He fucking loved it.  
   
 He stared out, until a black string caught his eye. A wire. It dashed in front of his eyes and then moved to the side, away from the others. Rin followed it along the beach and then stopped.  
   
 There was a woman standing by the waterside, youthful. Early twenties at most. Her brown hair was flowing freely in the wind, light blue-green eyes glancing at the sunset.  
   
 Rin’s eyes widened.  
   
 He didn’t know how he knew, but he just… knew.  
   
 Chiyo Hazuki.  
   
 She turned her head, looking at him. A smile formed on her lips.  
   
 “Uh.” Rin blinked. “Hey.”  
   
 “Hi.” Her voice, although less creaky, less metallic or wire-like than before, was the one he had heard before.  
   
 Rin felt his lips tug into a smile and he scratched the back of his head. “Thank you.”  
   
 “No.” She shook her head. “Thank you.”  
   
 “Me?”  
   
 “Yes. For not only rising to your responsibility… but exceeding it. Rin, you… you really pour your heart into what you do, whatever it is. The Mahō is in good hands as long as you’re there. You’ll help keep some balance between the four of them, I know. You’ll keep them safe. I have no doubt in my mind.”  
   
 Rin got down on one knee and bowed. “I promise: I will.”  
   
 “You know…” She put her arms behind her back, tilting her head. “It’s every person’s wish, from the bottom of their heart, that the next generation not only live on and succeed—but exceed whatever we accomplished.” She put a hand over her chest. “It puts me at ease to know you have.”  
   
 Rin nodded. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”  
   
 Chiyo laughed and her feet lifted off the ground. “Then, I’ll depart now.”  
   
 Rin stood up. “I—”  
   
 “Don’t you dare!”  
   
 Rin glanced over his shoulder.  
   
 Nagisa’s hands were raging into fists.  
   
 Chiyo looked at him, eyes soft.  
   
 “How can you leave?” Nagisa marched past Rin. “Without saying goodbye to me!?”  
   
 Chiyo drifted forward and wrapped her arms around him. Nagisa hugged her back and she smiled. “I’m sorry. But I have to go.”  
   
 Nagisa held the hug, his last hug with her. He knew he’d never get the chance again, so he soaked it in. His breathing became shaky, but he swallowed hard. Eventually, he pulled away and nodded once. “Th-Thanks… Granny, for everything.”  
   
 Chiyo ruffled his hair. “Stay strong.” Her spirit essence poured out of her body, spinning in a slow pink circle around her. It dissolved into the air as her soul began to glow—it shot up, towards the sky, towards the afterlife.  
   
 Apoptosis.  
   
 Nagisa looked up.  
   
 Rin scratched the back of his head. “Let’s go back to the others.”  
   
 Nagisa turned around.  
   
 “I’ll give you a piggyback?”  
   
 A smile returned to Nagisa’s face and he jumped on Rin’s back.  
   
 “Oof! Warning would’a been nice, jerk.”  
   
 Nagisa nuzzled his neck. “Thank you too.”  
   
 Rin paused. “Nagisa?”  
   
 Nagisa squeezed him tight. “You and Ai… I owe you so much.”  
   
 Sand crunched in front of them.  
   
 Nitori walked towards them with a smile. “No, Nagisa. We don’t owe each other anything.”  
   
 “But!” Nagisa began.  
   
 “Oy.” Rin smiled. “Family’s about not owing each other anything.”  
   
 Nagisa opened his mouth, but no words came.  
   
 Nitori nodded. “Come on, let’s go back.”  
   
   
 ~ ~ ~  
   
   
 Hours passed.  
   
 Sitting on the steps again, Nitori stared up at the red tori, the shrine’s archways that were lined up to create the illusion of a tunnel. He examined the way the white snow stacked on top of each of them. He smiled. The steps were swept every day for snow and salted for ice, but the tiles were still cold. Especially with the memory of summer sun on his mind. It was far too late to be out, as he knew. There was rarely any light, except the flickering lights of the shrine.  
   
 Rin had enchanted them to be everburning torches.  
   
 Nitori filled his lungs with the night’s air, seeing his hot breath fog up white on the exhale.  
   
 Footsteps.  
   
 He looked over his shoulder.  
   
 Rin carried two steaming travel mugs. He took a seat next to Nitori and offered one.  
   
 “How thoughtful.”  
   
 “Ah, well Momo made a pot; I figured I’d take some before Sousuke drinks it all.”  
   
 Nitori took the mug with a smile, feeling it warm his fingers. “Sousuke is staying over tonight, then?”  
   
 “Yeah. Momo convinced him a portal would be taxing.” Rin snorted. “What a load of bullshit.”  
   
 “Yeah.” Nitori laughed and leaned on Rin. He sipped the drink and smiled. He closed his eyes, leaning on Rin as he did. Words bubbled in his throat, but he wasn’t sure what to say. He took a deep breath before letting it out through his nose. “Hey… I was… I was scared, you know?”  
   
 “Hm?”  
   
 “I was scared something would go wrong with Kou… that I would be responsible for some tragedy that happens to your sister. I was scared The Eye would change their mind. I was scared Haru would betray us, scared that Nagisa would never recover… I was scared that maybe Nagisa and Sousuke faked recovery again, you know?”  
   
 Rin stared at him, eyes wide. “You too, huh?”  
   
 Nitori blinked, and then a loud laugh escaped his throat. “Yeah. Today, though…” Nitori looked at his mug and took in the warm chocolatey scent. “It kind of confirmed that, no matter what happens, things will always be alright.”  
   
 “I have no idea what’s going to happen next, honestly…” Rin sipped his drink and looked up at the moon. “But as long as I’ve got you … I mean, you’re the one who wanted to change the world, and I’ll be by your side. Face it together… and all that crap.”  
   
 Nitori kissed Rin’s shoulder. “Please be by my side.”  
   
 “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere, flower bud. When it comes to the future and all that uncertainty… I’ve got nothing to worry about when you’re with me, Ai. When I’m with you… it feels like…” He looked at his lap and shook his head. “Nah, forget it.”  
   
 Nitori shook his head. “Would it kill you to be a little romantic?”  
   
 “Probably.” Rin smirked and kissed his cheek. “I just don’t want to sound like a loser.”  
   
 “Rin, you are a loser.”  
   
 “Gee. Thanks.”  
   
  “My loser, though.” Nitori kissed his jaw. “So be a loser for me.”  
   
 “Fine.” Rin shifted a bit to look at him directly. “When I’m with you, it feels like home, okay? Feels really warm and stuff.” He poked his chest with his free hand. “Alright? There. Shut up.”  
   
 Nitori shook his head. “You’re so dumb…”  
   
 “What?” Rin pouted. “What did I say?”  
   
 “That feeling you’re describing…”  
   
 “Yeah?”  
   
 “I love you too, Rin.”  
   
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
